What to Do on Haweater Weekend 2019
Haweater Weekend has arrived once again - it’s always here faster than we expect, signifying the last month of summer. This year, the event dates fall on Friday, August 2nd, to Sunday, August 4th. Let’s see what’s in store for this celebratory weekend.
Friday, August 2nd
All day, you can head to the Fire Hall parking lot to check out the Carver Kings - a crew of skilled carvers, brandishing chainsaws as their preferred artistic tool. They even had their own HGTV show of the same name that ran for one season in 2015, the focus centring on the unique and challenging commissions they received. This weekend, they’ll be showcasing their incredible talent as they work on carving projects in real time. They’ll be here until Sunday!
As per tradition, all day long there will be rows of street vendors set up downtown. Water Street will be closed off to vehicular traffic, allowing the crowd of people to venture through the various booths and shops on foot. There’s an abundance of different food, drinks, crafts, merchandise, and other great items to browse through. It’s fun, busy, and constantly abuzz with excitement.
Low Island Park will have many fun activities you can join in on as well. Friday is the start of the 26th annual mixed slow-pitch tournament, held at the ball fields. It runs all weekend. There will also be several kids’ inflatables set up (offering parents a great way to have their energetic kids tired out!).
At 6:00pm, you can enjoy music by George Williamson at the Cenotaph downtown. Stick around until 7:00pm for the opening ceremonies of the 52nd annual Haweater Weekend!
Saturday, August 3rd
Meet at the library at 8:00am to begin registration for the Haw Run, a great event that offers runs of different distances to choose from. At 8:30am, the 10k run begins for a $20 entry price. At 10:00am, the 5k run takes off, costing entrees just $15. And at 11:00am is the 1k Fun Run - just a $5 ticket. All the proceeds are going to the NEMI Public Library, after recent cuts in funding for Ontario libraries.
From 9:00am to noon, check out the annual soap box races! The contenders range from ages 5 to 11, loaded up with their prebuilt cars and helmets, ready to take on this exciting yearly race. It’s free to enter! Just meet at the Gateway to Life Church parking lot. After registration and practice runs, the actual races begin at 10:30.
There’s a lot of different events and activities - something to pique everyone’s interest! At 9:00am, you can start your day off peacefully by participating in Yoga on the Docks, situated at the east end of the docks. At 10:00am behind the arena, there’s a Horse Show - registration begins at 9:30am. Watch the horses complete the course, performing jumps and other feats.
Some great events for kids: At 11:00am, 2:00pm and 4:00pm, for an $8 admission fee, you can bring your kids upstairs in the NEMI Recreation Centre to watch Bumbling Bert the Magician perform his magic. He’s reportedly a huge hit with children, combining entertainment and hilarity in one fantastic show!
- If you have kids interested in Hot Wheels, meet at 11:30am at the 35 Water Street (the old NAPA location) to register for a Hot Wheels race. There’s lots of fun prizes and treats in store.
- At 12:30pm, there’s a cardboard boat race organized at Low Island - get busy with your building, and bring your creation to the park to see how it fairs in the big race!
- For other magical fun, at 4:30pm you can go to the grassy spot across the street from the old NAPA building (35 Water Street East) and watch Manitou Magic perform some awesome tricks and illusions!
This year, Ski-Mazing Water Sports is back! Go on down to Low Island Park to try the exhilarating sport of parasailing! You’ll be launched over the Channel, and stunned with amazing views of everything below. For something different, you could also try out the Jetovator - propelled by water and bringing you well above the surface, this personal watercraft is attached to a hose in front of the boat, instead of the other way around. You can also try your luck at a flyboard. It’s slightly more challenging than the Jetovator, because the balance and control is done through your feet. You can sign up all weekend long after 10:00am each day.
The day finishes off with the Hawfest Dance Party, boasting two great dances. On the main ice surface of the arena you’ll find Top 40 songs and other requests. On the curling club side there will be an 80s and 90s video dance party. Tickets are $20 at the door or $15 at Boarderline Sports or The Expositor Office.
Sunday, August 4th
On Sunday, you can enjoy more of the same things Saturday brought you, if you didn’t get a chance to check everything out the first time around. The Carver Kings will be around at the Fire Hall all day, as well as the downtown vendors, inflatables at Low Island, and the slow-pitch tournament will finish off. Bumbling Bert is back at the recreation centre at 11:00am and again at 4:00pm, Yoga on the Docks is at 11:30am at the birdcage lighthouse on the east docks again, and Manitou Magic returns at 4:30pm in the same spot as Saturday.
At noon, the Haweater Parade will trek from Harbour View Road, leading downtown to where all the excitement is. Everyone is sure to enjoy the dazzling floats pass by!
There will be fun kids’ games and activities at 3:00pm at Low Island, and live music by “Shades of Midnight” between 1:00pm and 5:00pm at the Cenotaph, where you can listen to a great mix of different types of songs.
From 7:00pm until midnight there will be a street dance downtown, with a variety of snacks and music. Then at dusk, the night erupts with everybody’s favourite event: the eagerly-awaited, glorious mammoth fireworks display! A stunning, exciting show that’s definitely one of the best you’ll ever see. The commencement of the show depends on how fast the darkness envelops Little Current - it could be 9:30pm, like last year, or 10:00pm like past years. It’s best to aim to arrive early and claim a good viewing spot!
Make sure to put 3 Cows and a Cone on your calendar for this weekend. We have over 32 flavours of ice cream, as well as tasty frozen yogurt, milkshakes, smoothies, and a wide variety of food choices (pizza, burgers, hotdogs, chicken wings, flatbreads, subs, fries, poutine - you name it!). We’re located right past the Swing Bridge on your right, open from 10am - 10pm.
It’s safe to say that Haweater Weekend is full of fantastic events - what are you planning on doing? For the full schedule on the Lion’s Club website, click here.