A Rideau Canal Nautical Heritage Festival 1826-2026 Being Held Saturday

Portland – A Rideau Canal Nautical Heritage Festival 1826-2026 is being held this Saturday, July 18th and Sunday, July 19th at the Portland Harbour at 15B Water Street in Portland in Rideau Lakes.

Join them from 10:00am to 3:00pm for this free, multi-day public celebration marking the 200 years since the beginning of construction of the Rideau Canal.

The national significance and UNESCO World Heritage designation of the Rideau Canal offers the perfect setting for this uniquely immersive experience that blends heritage interpretation, live demonstrations, water-based activities and community storytelling that highlight the Canal’s role in shaping Canada’s early development.

At the municipal harbour, adjacent park, beach and community hall, there will be activities, including displays of antique and heritage boats on water and on land, demonstrations of boat building techniques, guided Voyageur Canoe Tours on Big Rideau Lake, and guided pontoon Boat Tours by Brown’s Marina in celebration of their 50th anniversary. Plus an information showcase, interpretive talks by authors and storytellers. Also, on Saturday, the Three Sisters Market will be happening at beautiful Hanna Park.

Over 75 partners along the Rideau Canal are joining to celebrate 200 years since the beginning of its construction from 1826 to 1832. Rideau Lakes is collaborating with Portland on the Rideau Historical Society’s Nautical Heritage Group and others to mark the upcoming anniversary, starting with a festival this summer.

Featured Events:

• Opening Ceremonies with M.P. P. Steve Clark & Former Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations, the Honourable Bob Rae on Saturday at 10 a.m. at Hanna Park (27 Water Street )
• Flag Pole Dedication Ceremony at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday at Hanna Park (27 Water Street )
• Flotilla to Grindstone Island, Kingsmill’s Summer Residence, on Sunday at 3 p.m. from the Portland Harbour (15B Water Street, Portland ON)

Festival Highlights:

• Heritage Boat Display on water and on land
• Demomstrations of Dowsett Punt Building Techniques and Tools
• Guided Voyageur Canoe Tours on the Rideau from the Portland Harbour
• Guided Pontoon Boat Tours by Brown’s Marina from the Portland Harbour in celebration of their 50th anniversary!
• Information Showcases and Exhibit by Heritage House Museum
• Interpretive Talks by Authors and Storytellers
• Celebrate Sir Charles Edmund Kingsmill 1855-1935, Founder and First Admiral of the Canadian Navy
• Saturday morning from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. the Three Sisters Market at Hanna Park
• Old Fashioned Dressing event at Mill Bay Court on Sunday from 10 am to 3 pm
• Live music by Ron Steeves
• Recording Oral Histories at the Storytelling Booth by the Rideau Lakes Public Library
• The Portland Legion is hosting their 100th Anniversary Celebrations all weekend!

For more information and a full schedule please visit: http://www.rideaulakes.ca/festival2026