Energy drives Burlington’s 20th July 1 party

BY SARA KEDDY

Kings County Register

In the winter of 2006, Burlington volunteers took a hard look at their July 1 celebration: a lack of help jeopardized the annual festivities.

The event came off, and this year’s 20th anniversary has seen a complete turnaround.

“We’ve got a fantastic gang this year - we didn’t want to let it go,” says committee head Anna Osburn. “Sometimes the energy ebbs and flows, but we have a good thing going.

“This year, it’s our 20th, and we thought ‘Let’s build some excitement around that’.”

This year’s Canada Day party is packed - with returning favourites and lots of new activities. Osburn says things officially get underway at noon, but there are lots of things people can do to prepare in advance.

A children’s Canada Day poster contest is looking for entries June 30, and the art will hang in the hall through the fair for people’s choice judging and then prizes.

Bakers will want to get their pie entry ready for judging by 10:30 a.m. July 1, with prizes to follow - and slices sold in the canteen to lucky tasters throughout the day.

And, gardeners will want to search their plots for flowers for the arrangement competition, with entries due first thing July 1.

Horse pullers will have arrived on the grounds and organized for their day’s pulls, and the canteens, chicken BBQ grill and auction tables will be set.

At 12:30 p.m., a children’s parade themed around nature - think bugs! - will come down Long Point Road to the hall, led by a community float and joined by guest entries - and a few surprises.

Once on the grounds, the flag raising honours at 1 p.m. have been awarded to one of the Burlington Community Club’s founders, Bedford Graves. Janice Sheridan will lead O Canada. There are two Grade 12 students to honour with community gifts this year, an annual tradition, and there will be a moment of silence for members of the community lost since the last get-together. results will also be announced for the parade, art show, pie and flower contests.

Things become a little more informal then: Bob Bellingham’s Tools with Tales collection will be on display, there are children’s games and contests, Berwick Lions’ bingo, lobster rolls to enjoy, raffle tickets on more lobster to purchase and the displays to take in.

Music gets underway on-stage at 1:30 p.m.: Janice Sheridan, Kevin Irvine, Lois Lutz and Groundspeed, the Millett Family, Hughie McDonell and, last but not least, the Spinney Brothers over the supper hour and into the evening.

Throw in a pie eating and jello eating contest, some sack races and other activities, and the afternoon will go by quickly.

Community teams have already been organized from neighbouring locals for the day’s challenge contest at 3:30 p.m. Up for grabs: a trophy to boast about and $100 to be put towards the winning community’s youth project of choice.

“We plan to wrap up around 8:30 p.m., and then people can make their way down to McNally Road for our fireworks - we’ve got fabulous support from sponsors this year, so it will be a great way to end the day and our 20th anniversary,” Osburn says.