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.
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.
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.
Friends of Murphys Point Park 