Creating a Heritage Festival experience with new Homecoming Festival
‘It was something we looked forward to all year, and hopefully we’re going to get back to that’
A group of local volunteers are coming together to try to bring back the fun that the Heritage Festival used to bring to the North Bay area.
As part of North Bay’s 100th anniversary celebration, a group of longtime North Bay residents who had ties to the well-known Heritage Festival event, wanted to create another summer festival, free of charge for the community.
Cathy Seguin is one of the event organizers. She says the idea came to life after getting approval for a grant as part of the North Bay 100th anniversary celebrations.
“We started there, and then we got together and started throwing ideas around,” she said.
“All of us go back to the days of old when we were around the Heritage Festival.”
The historic Heritage Festival
The North Bay Heritage Festival was first held in 1986.
In the 1980’s North Bay held a “Mayor’s Kiddies Day” in the summer. In 1986, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs presented the Heritage Village Concept to the City of North Bay for Consideration as a way to expand on the existing event. The City of North Bay passed a Resolution, approving the hosting of the first Gateway Heritage Festival and appointed a committee to plan the event.
After only three months of planning, over 10,000 people turned out for the First Annual Gateway Heritage Festival in 1986.
The festival was promoted as a community-based, family-oriented event that featured something for everyone. The festival grew to include an international airshow, pro beach volleyball, a firefighter combat challenge, musical entertainment and parades, and a heritage village highlighting components of North Bay’s heritage.
In 1994, the festival’s name was changed to the North Bay Heritage Festival & Airshow with a shift in focus to move towards tourism development. The 2005 Heritage Festival welcomed 23,362 paid attendees.
In 2007, the festival plan was scaled back when headliner Meatloaf was not booked to play in North Bay. Soon after, the festival was rebranded ‘Summer in the Park’.
Jean Jamieson, one of the new festival organizers, says they want their festival back.
“Our Heritage Festival, back in the day, was just over the top,” said Jamieson.
“It was something we looked forward to all year, and hopefully we’re going to get back to that. This is hopefully a legacy year, and it will grow from here. That’s our wish.”
Shawn Devine, is the former North Bay Police Chief and longtime supporter of the Heritage Festival.
“There’s a lot of people who are willing to put their energy into establishing something that hopefully will start this year and continue with the assistance and help of other volunteers,” said Devine, who is another event organizer.
North Bay Homecoming Festival Events
The event will begin with opening ceremonies on Friday, August 1, at the Kiwanis Bandshell.
Some of the events included are the Hot Summer Nights Concert weekend.
There will be multiple Village events, including:
- Artisan Village
- Car Show Village
- Explorer’s Village
- Heritage Village
- Museum Village
- Downtown Village
The celebrations will include a multi-faith service and celebration, and the Mayor’s corn roast among other events.
“Whether you’re a lifelong local, a newcomer, a visitor with roots in the Bay, or an Indigenous person whose ancestors called this land home,” the organizers stated in a release.
“This Festival is your chance to reconnect, remember, and celebrate! Come be a part of North Bay’s legacy and its future!”
Those interested in attending can go to https://www.nbhomecomingfestival.ca/ for more information.
By Chris Dawson, BayToday.ca
