Shelburne Longboat Society
"Pulling Together"
Special Events
The Shelburne Longboat Society believes that Shelburne County is well positioned as a destination of choice and is a superb opportunity as a “niche market”. Shelburne County is situated on the third best natural harbour in the world, the area offers one of the most impressive built-heritage environments of pre-1800 wooden structures in the world, the County offers world class museums and heritage sites - including the Birchtown Historic Site - and the physical beauty of the area is unsurpassed. Virtually any outdoor activity is possible in Shelburne County - all in pristine areas that combine physical and mental challenges in an atmosphere of serenity and friendliness. The 2008 celebrations showed that the addition of specific festivals and events to this background spelled success even in one of the most challenging years in tourism history. Having a good product and promoting that product are keys to a successful tourism season whether it be in 2008, 2009 or beyond. There is little doubt that the County has the background draw as described above, but we have also proven that we can add the necessary ingredients to draw tourists to the area even in the most challenging of tourism environments.
The Shelburne longboats have quickly established themselves as heritage icons of the maritime tradition of wooden boat building on the south shore and as such, the Shelburne Longboat Society has participated in, and received invitations to, special events across the Maritimes and even Ontario.
Through these opportunities, the Shelburne Longboat Society can promote Shelburne County in ways that advertising through the media can never achieve.
2009
- Tall Ships Nova Scotia 2009 / 250th Anniversary of the Founding of the Royal Navy Dockyard, Halifax, NS, 17-19 July 2009
SETTING SAIL FOR HALIFAX
From July 17th to July 20th, the two Shelburne longboats will be participating in the 250th Anniversary of the Founding of the Royal Navy Dockyard in Halifax, being held in conjunction with the Tall Ships Nova Scotia Festival 2009.
As part of the weekend’s activities being undertaken to commemorate the Royal Navy anniversary, a large-scale re-enactment of the landing by British forces in Halifax will take place on Saturday, July 18th at Bishop’s Landing on the Halifax waterfront. This re-enactment will feature a flotilla of 20 longboats and involve some 300 re-enactors from Canada, the United States, Great Britain and Australia.
Several costumed animators from the Society will be participating in a weekend-long 18th marketplace at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. Up to a million visitors are expected in Halifax and the Shelburne Longboat Society will be using the opportunity to promote Shelburne County to the world.
- Mahone Bay Classic Boat Festival, Mahone Bay, NS, 1 August 2009
2010
- Battle of the Restigouche, Campbellton, NB, 8-11 July 2010
Thank you to Restigouche 1760 Inc. and Privateer Media LLC for a memorable weekend and event! We are thrilled to have been awarded the ASMA "Onion Bottle" in recognition for outstanding maritime living history impression at the 2010 Battle of the Restigouche commemoration event!
SHELBURNE LONGBOATS ROW INTO BATTLE
From July 8th - 11th, Nova Scotia heritage will meet New Brunswick history when the Shelburne longboats participate in the Battle of the Restigouche event in Campbellton, NB. Following its distinguished performance in Halifax last summer at the 250th Anniversary of the Founding of the Royal Navy Dockyard and Tall Ships Nova Scotia 2009, the Shelburne Longboat Society has been invited to take part in the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the Battle of the Restigouche. The event, which will be held in Campbellton as part of a week-long festival from July 4th - 11th, will be one of the largest historical events to take place in the Canadian Maritimes and will also have the honour of being the first inter-provincial event, taking place in the Restigouche River estuary spanning both New Brunswick and Québec.
The Age of Sail Maritime Alliance (ASMA), a not-for-profit historical and educational organization formed in 2008 to help organize and support 18th and early 19th century living history maritime events, has sanctioned the Battle of the Restigouche as one of only three events being held within Canada and the USA in 2010.
Restigouche 1760 Inc., the organizing committee for the week-long festival, will open the doors of history and take visitors back to the era of French and British soldiers, the Mi’gmaw, settlers and missionaries from that era. The historic Fort Listuguj, after being closed for many years, will be re-opened for the event with a special opening dedication ceremony. The Battle of the Restigouche will feature a wreath-laying ceremony on the river, French and British militia encampments, military drills, cannons and demonstrations, as well as villages representing Acadian, French, Mi’gmaw and Scottish life and culture in 1760. The festival will also feature a pirate day, outdoor musical concerts, cemetery walks, scavenger hunts and a first time re-enactment of actual Treaty negotiations.
Also as part of the planned festivities, Privateer Media LLC, an American company specializing in historical films and documentaries, and Loyalist Arms & Repairs Ltd. of Harrietsfield, NS will partner in the fabrication and production of the “Chaleur Phantom”, which will be part of the Battle of the Restigouche event on July 10th. The “Phantom” is the well-known maritime legend of a burning ship that has been seen numerous times over the last two centuries on the Chaleur Bay. In addition to managing the fabrication of the “Phantom”, Privateer Media LLC has also secured the participation of a dozen historical vessels in the form of naval longboats and bateaux that will be on the Restigouche River for the festival’s closing weekend.
While participating in the Battle of the Restigouche, the Shelburne Longboat Society will actively and loudly promote Shelburne County with a team of 20 plus rowers and animators that will also include the Society’s Crier playing the role of Town Crier throughout the weekend. As part of the delegation, the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Shelburne, who are also members of the Shelburne Longboat Society, will take advantage of the opportunity to meet informally with their Campbellton counterparts to further promote Shelburne County.
Society Chair Jim Mahaney agrees that history will definitely come alive at the Battle of the Restigouche in July, “and the Shelburne Longboat Society is very proud to be part of this exciting event.”
For more information on the Battle of the Restigouche event, visit www.restigouche1760.ca <http://www.restigouche1760.ca>.
- Mahone Bay Classic Boat Festival, Mahone Bay, NS, 31 July 2010
2011
- Natal Day Pioneer Landing, Yarmouth 250 Re-enactment of the Landing of the First British Settlers in Yarmouth Township, NS on 9 June 1761 - 9 & 10 June 2011
- Mahogany Jones 2 - Return of the Privateers, Summerside, PEI - Cancelled
2012
- 200th anniversary of the War of 1812, Brantford, ON
If you'd like to invite us to your event, please contact us at info@shelburnelongboats.com or 902-875-2968!
