The Kiwanis Club of Forest and its supporters are keeping the community’s Canada Day celebrations alive.
This year’s community party begins at 5 pm Saturday at the Esli Dodge conservation area in Forest with live music, children’s activities, lots of food and then fireworks to cap off the evening.
Rick Lean, who is chairperson of a four-person organizing committee, said the Kiwanis Club stepped in several years ago when the annual celebration in the Lambton Shores community was in need of new organizers.
The event returned last year after a two-year hiatus during pandemic restrictions and attracted an estimated 2,800 people, he said.
Musical acts in the park this year will include Squish Lizard, the Forest Pioneers, the Forest Excelsior Band and Brothers Wilde, “a fantastic band” made up of two brothers, Lean said. “They’re going to close it out for us.”
Beginning at 5 pm there also will be activities for children, including mini golf, a craft table, a bubble station and others.
“We’re quite fortunate,” Lean said. “We have two ladies who work at the day care, locally” who organize the children’s activities.
Members of a local dragon boat team sold tickets for a chicken barbecue dinner running from 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm Stutt’s Food Truck and ice cream by Java and Scoops, also will be in the park.
“The local Optimist Club is going to be grilling up hamburgers and hot dogs,” Lean said.
“And then, fireworks at dusk,” he said.
Sunday is the rain date for the fireworks, if they can’t be held Saturday because of weather.
“It’s truly a family event spanning one, two or three generations” from Forest and the area surrounding it, Lean said.
He said the Kiwanis Club underwrites the event and gathers grants and donations to help with the cost.
“Community co-operation has been fantastic,” Lean said.
Donations to help with the costs are also accepted Saturday at the entrance to the conservation authority, he said.
“The budget this year, by the time we get the fireworks and all the insurance and everything in place, is close to $14,000,” Lean said.