LITTLE CURRENT—The 50th annual Haweater Weekend is shaping up to be an amazing weekend filled with events that are sure to please Haweaters (and those who wish they were) of all ages.
The weekend begins in earnest this Thursday, August 3 with the Miss Manitoulin pageant at the Manitoulin Hotel and Conference Centre. Seven Island girls are vying for the crown. Doors open at 6:30 pm with the pageant and fashion show getting underway at 7 pm. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for children 12 and under.
On Friday, August 4, and new this year, downtown Little Current will be closed to vehicular traffic and will see a pedestrian mall along Water Street filled with Island vendors all day long. Included in the downtown events will be live music sponsored by the Little Current Business Improvement Area (BIA) from noon to 4 pm.
Inflatables will be located at both Low Island and downtown all weekend long. Passes get you unlimited bounces so be sure to purchase your bracelet of fun.
The Craz-E-Crew Stunt Team will be amazing audiences with their big air at the arena floor at 1 pm, 3 pm and again at 8 pm. Admission is $10 for both children and adults.
The Lions have purchased some ‘battle balls,’ or giant inflatable, wearable balls, for everyone’s enjoyment. Come down to the Low Island soccer pitch to try your hand at battle ball soccer. Teams will be made on-site. Ages 8 and up are welcome.
The Royal Canadian Legion Branch #177 will again be hosting its famous steak dinner at the Vankoughnet Street Legion from 5 to 7 pm for $15 a plate.
As part of the downtown closure, a classic car cruise-in will be found downtown.
The 24th annual mixed slo-pitch tournament gets underway at the Low Island ball fields at 6 pm. Be sure to check in and watch some great slo-pitch action, not to mention the cold brews and hot barbecue on offer.
To kick off the opening ceremonies of the 50th annual Haweater Weekend, the band Second Avenue will be playing downtown at 6:30 pm with the official ceremonies getting underway at 7 pm. Once the ceremony is over, Second Avenue will strike up once again and kick off the street dance commemorating the first Haweater Weekend in 1967.
On Saturday, the downtown will again be closed and filled with vendors and inflatables.
At 8 am the annual Haw Run registration gets underway at the library with 10K, 5K and a 1K kids’ race.
Saturday morning is a busy one with the farmers’ market, yoga on the docks, the Current Quilts and Stitchery Guild Quilt Show and the 15th annual Haweater Cruise-In featuring classic cars as well as kids’ Hot Wheels racing, all found at locations downtown.
At 10 am there will be a youth exhibition soccer game at the Low Island soccer pitch, slo-pitch getting underway at 9 am, or head to the curling club ice surface for some adult Zumba at 11 am—all free of charge.
At 11 am the Craz-E-Crew Stunt Team will host its first Saturday show followed by the Ultimutts Dog and Cat stunt show at noon, upstairs in the rec centre hall. The Craz-E-Crew Stunt Team can be seen again at 1 pm and 3 pm, while the Ultimutts are on again at 2 pm and at 4 pm. Both shows are $10.
Back at Low Island, the beach volleyball tournament starts at 12 noon with the 14th annual cardboard boat race—Manitoulin’s original cardboard boat race—kicking off at 12:30 pm—a must see at the Low Island beach area.
Downtown, Second Avenue will be providing musical entertainment at the cenotaph at 1 pm.
Back by popular demand, Little Ray’s will be presenting the ‘Diversity of Living Things’ at the Little Current Public School gymnasium at 1 pm and 4 pm.
The Little Current Lions are known for their sense of humour, and there are sure to be plenty of laughs when it comes to the bobbing for donuts and watermelon-eating contest at 3 pm, followed by the plasma car races at 3:30 pm, both at Expositor Square.
For more musical entertainment, the George Williamson and Friends Band of Little Current Friday night fame will be entertaining at the cenotaph at 4:30 pm.
The last act of Saturday will be Ashley Manitowabi, or Manitou Magic, as he is sometimes known. Ashley will be performing some amazing magic tricks at the Expositor Square at 6 pm.
Get home for a good dinner then head to the rec centre for the Hawfest dance starting at 8 pm. Tickets are just $15 (and available at The Expositor Office and Boarderline) for two dance floors and includes a limited edition Haweater cup when you check in. If you don’t have an advanced ticket, be prepared to pay $20 at the door. This event is age of majority, and Lions will be checking ID, so bring your identification.
On Sunday, August 6 the Haw Horse Show gets underway at 10 am at the horse ring located behind the rec centre.
The Legion breakfast will be available from 10 am to 1 pm, $10, children under five are free.
At 10:30 am, the Little Current United Church will be hosting an ecumenical church service at the cenotaph at 10:30 am. Please bring a lawn chair.
The quilt show will again open its doors at the Northeast Town council chambers at 11 am with the Ultimutts staging their first show of the day at 11 am too, at the rec centre hall. You can catch them again at 2 pm and 4 pm.
Yoga on the docks will provide some relief from the night before and gets underway at 11:30 am near the birdcage lighthouse.
At noon the Haweater Weekend parade will make its way through the town. It’s not too late to register a float and get some great prizes. Contact Lion Marcel Gauthier at 705-368-3247 to register.
Little Ray’s will be back at the public school starting at 1 pm and again at 4 pm.
For what can only be described as pure fun, head to Expositor Square at 1 pm to take part in Human Hungry, Hungry Hippos. You’ve got to see it to believe it. All ages are welcome.
The second annual Haweater Paddle Challenge with five different divisions for canoers and kayakers happens at Low Island at 2 pm. Participants are asked to register from 12:30 to 1:30 pm.
Keep an ear out for the very talented Chicks with Picks who will be wandering downtown starting at 2 pm.
The kids’ games and activities at Low Island, sponsored by the Children’s Aid Society, offer plenty of old fashioned fun and prizes at 3 pm.
Ashley Manitowabi will be back at Expositor Square at 7 pm, the same time the street dance gets underway!
At dusk, settle in for what will be the grandest fireworks display in Haweater history. The Lions promise that it won’t disappoint, so be sure to be generous with your donations when you see them come around on Sunday night.
For more information, please see the Haweater Weekend centre spread on pages 16-17 of this newspaper.
