Nipissing Township Museum going all out for first Fall Festival

Mark your calendars for Saturday, September 10th, as the Nipissing Township Museum is presenting a Fall Festival and Market from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The big event also marks the end of the museum’s season, which means it’s your last chance to enjoy some Nipissing Township history before the doors close until spring.

Museum manager Gillian Bernas mentioned this is the first time for the Fall Festival and Market, a brand-new event that carries on the spirit of the township’s Heritage Day, which fell over the August 20th weekend.

Bob Bartlett, a Mattawa blacksmith, usually visits during the Heritage Day festival, but he couldn’t make it then, so he’s coming by for the Fall Festival. He’ll be putting on a blacksmithing display, and Bernas is eager to have him—“he’s very approachable, and takes the time to answer questions from people”—and when people see a blacksmith at work, questions usually do arise.

See: Forging away, the blacksmith crafts steel for a new day

There are about nine vendors lined up (more are welcome) for the afternoon with “a lot of hand made crafts from locals,” Bernas noted, and after a summer “of trying to grow some vegetables” in the museum’s heritage garden, visitors will have the chance to buy some of that produce as well. The cucumbers did well, but there will be more than that, as the garden is filled with the types of produce that would have been harvested by settlers in the late 19th century.

“And we’ll just sell those by donation,” Bernas said. Same goes with entry to the museum, which will be open to tour during the festival. The museum highlights items from the early logging days of the area, and there is also a heritage building on site—the township’s original Methodist church.

There will also be some activities for the kids, and the J. Houston Band is performing live for a couple of hours from around noon to 3:00, which promises to be a rockin’ afternoon of tunes.

Once on site, you not only get to peruse the history of the township, but you can also witness the historical artifacts people keep in their closets and garages, as the township’s recreation committee is hosting a trunk sale from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Heritage Park.  

A trunk sale is essentially a yard sale, “and if anybody wants to come and set up a table, or to sell out of the boot of their car” they are welcome to come out. There is a $10 vendor fee, and people can contact Fire Chief Will Bateman if interested in setting one up. His email is [email protected].

“They’re also doing a bottle drive and taking donations for the Powassan and Callander Foodbank,” she said, so you can help a great cause as you enjoy the festival and market. The museum is located at 4363 Highway 654 in Nipissing Township. For more information, you can visit the Nipissing Township Museum’s Facebook page or give staff a call at 705-724-2938.

See: Lean times at Callander’s food bank

David Briggs is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of BayToday, a publication of Village Media. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.