Don’t Miss the Final Weekend of the Heritage Mica Festival!

Posted on September 7, 2011 by

Saturday September 10th:

  • Olde-time carnival day from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Main Beach with clowns, games, facepainting and a sandcastle-building contest (we have prizes!!).
  • Hot Dog Roast at the campfire pit from 6 to 7 p.m. along with stories of the Lally family.
  • Crazy Strings concert featuring Jenny and Dan Whiteley at the amphitheatre at 7:30 p.m.

 Sunday September 11th:

  • Voyageur Canoe tours with costumed interpreters on Hogg Bay leaving from the Main Beach on Sunday at 11:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. This is your opportunity to experience life as a voyageur and to see the park from a totally different perspective. The cost is only $2 per person or $5 per family and at this time there are seats available. We do recommend advance reservations as we have sold out all previous tours during the festival. Send an email to eventsmurphys@ripnet.com with the time you prefer and the number of people in your group and we will reserve tickets for you to pick up  and pay for on Sunday. 
  • Also on Sunday there is a BBQ on the Main Beach from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and music by the Perth Citizens’ Band between 1 and 3 p.m. What a way to end the festival – food and music on the beach at Murphys Point!! The weather is promising to be warm and sunny – there won’t be too many more weekends like this in 2011.

 A day pass, seasonal pass or current camping permit is required for park entry. Day passes are available at the park registration gate at $14 per car (or $11 per car for seniors or $7 per car with a disability permit). Also please remember that dogs are not permitted in the beach area.

Click here for full details. Hope to see you at the park this weekend!

Posted in Friends of Murphys Point, Heritage, Heritage Mica Festival, Lally, Mica Festival, Murphys Point, Murphys Point events, Murphys Point Provincial Park, Uncategorized, Voyageur canoes | Tagged , , , , , ,

Congratulations! Canoe Winner!

Posted on September 5, 2011 by

The winning 2011 Canoe Raffle Ticket has been drawn, and the Friends are pleased to announce the winner is:

CRAIG HALPENNY of Perth, with ticket 0078 purchased way back in April at the Perth Festival of the Maples.

Congratulations, Craig, and thanks to everyone who supported our annual raffle to raise funds for Friends’ programs.

Posted in Friends of Murphys Point, Murphys Point, Murphys Point events, Murphys Point Provincial Park, Uncategorized | Tagged , , ,

Heritage, Music and Voyageur Canoes Coming Up!

Posted on August 22, 2011 by

Wow, the second weekend of the Heritage Mica Festival (Aug. 27 and 28) will bring loads of exciting activities for the whole family. The Perth Town Crier will welcome all our guests and set the tone for this heritage day.

On Saturday, Aug. 27 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the Lally Homestead site showcases work and play as it would have been in the early 1900s. A variety of heritage trades and crafts will be demonstrated. Children can enjoy heritage games all day long and music will be provided on site by a number of musicians. When you are ready for a break, have a taste of our miner’s lunch served from the wood stove in the drive shed for a cost of just $3.

 The Silver Queen Mine will also be open for visits with interpretation by parks staff. Stop by the bunkhouse to see how the miners lived and enjoy music there as well. Then in the evening, make your way to the park amphitheatre for a concert by Corkery Road.

On Sunday, Aug. 28, the action moves to the Main Beach with Voyageur Canoe Tours on Hogg Bay. Join the costumed interpreters in the 34-foot canoes for a view of the park from the water. All ages are welcome. Tickets for the canoe tours are just $2 per person or $5 per family and advance reservations are recommended. You can purchase your tickets at the Park Visitor Centre from 1 to 4 p.m. daily or reserve tickets by contacting  eventsmurphys@ripnet.com with information about which tours you are booking and how many tickets you need.  While you are waiting for the tours to return, visit with Bear the Tinker for songs and story-telling.

 Please remember that dogs are not permitted on the beach or in the mine or bunkhouse.

 See you at the Heritage Mica Festival next weekend! Click here for a summary of festival events.

 

Posted in Friends of Murphys Point, Geology, Heritage, Heritage Mica Festival, Lally, Lally Homestead, Mica Festival, mica mine, Murphys Point, Murphys Point events, Murphys Point Provincial Park, Silver Queen Mine, Uncategorized, Voyageur canoes | Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

Celtic Music Rocks in the Rain!

Posted on August 22, 2011 by

A small but hardy group braved the rain and danced up a storm to the Celtic sounds of Cratur at the Barn Dance and Corn Roast hosted by the Friends of Murphys Point on Sunday. This was the highlight of the second day of the Heritage Mica Festival at the park.  

 

 

 

 

Despite the often heavy rain, Friends volunteers braved the elements to cook the corn outside. An enormous cast iron pot was set over a wood fire and soon the water was bubbling away. Local corn, picked the same day, was cooked to perfection by volunteers from the Friends and topped with melted butter. Festival visitors enjoyed their corn in the large tent at the Lally Homestead as they listened to the four-piece band Cratur.

 

Cratur performs Celtic music specializing in Cape Breton fiddle music. The band comprises three excellent OttawaValley fiddlers, accompanied by guitar. Their instrumentation is as traditional as the music. The voices of the far-flung Celtic peoples who shaped this land – from Scotland, Ireland, and Newfoundland to the Ottawa Valley– come to life as they play.

 The Heritage Mica Festival continues next weekend at Murphys Point Provincial Park. Click here for complete event details. 

Posted in Friends of Murphys Point, Geology, Heritage, Heritage Mica Festival, Lally, Lally Homestead, Mica Festival, mica mine, Murphys Point, Murphys Point events, Murphys Point Provincial Park, Silver Queen Mine, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , ,

Sold Out Crowd for World Premiere!

Posted on August 22, 2011 by

The world premiere of The Silver Lining saw a sold-out audience Saturday night (August 20) at the Heritage Mica Festival at Murphys Point. The Friends of Murphys Point commissioned this outdoor  theatre piece to bring to life the Lally family who settled in the area where the park is now located back in the late 1800’s. During the performance of The Silver Lining, we follow James, David and Katie Lally as they meet up with Rinaldo the prospector, John McGlade the mine foreman, and many other characters who were involved with the Silver Queen Mine from 1903 to 1906.

The Silver Queen Mine located at Murphys Point Provincial Park is a mica mine that operated in the early 1900s. Representative of numerous mines that existed throughout the area, the Silver Queen has been restored and is open for viewing regularly throughout the spring and summer months on a variety of tours provided by park staff.  The Silver Lining provided an opportunity to view the homestead area, the mine trail and the mine at night, lit by the glow of mica lanterns carried by the audience. With two shows on opening night, the audience was entranced as these characters from our history came to life.

Click here for the full story!

Posted in Friends of Murphys Point, Geology, Heritage, Heritage Mica Festival, Lally, Lally Homestead, Mica Festival, mica mine, Murphys Point, Murphys Point events, Murphys Point Provincial Park, Silver Queen Mine, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , ,

Heritage Mica Festival Kicks Off!

Posted on August 22, 2011 by

It was a beautiful sunny day at the main beach for the kick-off to the second annual Heritage Mica Festival. Lanark Highlands Celtic band Skirmish performed at the opening events. 

From left, Gary Glover, Bill Cameron, Victor Maltby and Linda Grenier

The band drew crowds during the event hosted by the Friends, which featured a barbecue and children’s games in the afternoon and a theatrical performance (The Silver Lining) on the Silver Queen Mine Trail in the evening. Festival events are planned on weekends right through to Sept. 11.

Volunteers Don Goodfellow and Judy Fletcher serve up tasty food!Volunteers Frank Roy and Judy Buehler dance to the Celtic sounds of Skirmish.

Posted in Friends of Murphys Point, Geology, Heritage, Heritage Mica Festival, Mica Festival, mica mine, Murphys Point, Murphys Point events, Murphys Point Provincial Park, Silver Queen Mine | Tagged , , , , , ,

The Silver Lining

Posted on August 15, 2011 by

Join us for the performance of The Silver Lining at the Heritage Mica Festival on Saturday, Aug. 20. The cast and musicians have been rehearsing their lines to bring the history of the Silver Queen Mine and the Lally family to life for our festival guests.

Meet Katie Lally as she plots a romance with the help of Agness Beaudrie, the beautiful wife of the owner of the Dominion Promoting and Developing Company.

Or join John McGlade, mine foreman, as he negotiates working conditions for himself and his men.

Performances take place this Saturday, Aug. 20 at 7 and 9 p.m. with advance tickets recommended. Tickets are $2 per person or $5 per family and can be purchased at the Visitor Centre at the park daily from 1 to 4 p.m. or by emailing  eventsmurphys@ripnet.com or by calling 613-267-5340.

 The Silver Lining will also be performed on Saturday, Sept. 3.

Posted in Friends of Murphys Point, Geology, Heritage, Heritage Mica Festival, Mica Festival, mica mine, Murphys Point, Murphys Point events, Murphys Point Provincial Park, Silver Queen Mine, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , ,