July 1st Floats once again a resounding success
When Lisa Porter, President of the Woodstock Paddling Association and one of the organizers of July 1st Floats, first envisioned a river celebration of sorts, she had no idea it would become what it is today.
“It all sprang out of a conversation at a hair salon. As she [Maryann Walker] was cutting my hair, I told her about dragon boats for the first time, and she said, ‘We should do this. We should bring them here. We should make a festival,’” said Porter.
From this humble origin, the Canada Day celebration has become an annual tradition for the town, drawing thousands with events centred on the waterfront, at the Farmers Market and the New Brunswick Community College (NBCC) campus.
This year’s Canada Day calendar of events began at 9 a.m. at the AYR Motor Centre with the Kids of Steel triathlon, where participants biked, swam, and ran their way to victory.
This was quickly followed by a Hawaiian-themed paddleboard parade up and down the Meduxnekeag.
Next was floating cornhole at 10 a.m., with kayaks and lifejackets provided by Wolostoq Paddling School.
Porter noted the cornhole event was one of the most popular new events and is likely to be carried forward into future years.
An hour later, Mayor Jeff Wright and MLA Bill Hogan took to the stage to deliver short speeches and serve free cupcakes to attendees.
“I want to thank you for coming out, and I want to congratulate Mayor Wright and the town, the council, all the volunteers, Maryann and Lisa, for another fabulous event. Welcome to everybody, and happy Canada Day,” said Hogan.
“Welcome to Woodstock,” said Wright beginning his speech. “It’s looking like the crowd’s going to build all day; there’s lots of events going on. A big shout to Maryann and Lisa for organizing this event [which] keeps growing year after year. It’s all about volunteerism, and they are at the top of that chart … Happy Canada Day!”
In the hours that followed, multiple parades were held, including a children’s parade and an antique car parade.
Directly after noon, a flag-raising ceremony was held at the Legion, accompanied by a free BBQ.
From there, things slowed down, and people shifted their attention to the many other activities present.
Dragon boat racing was central to the event and took place throughout the day, with 14 teams competing.
New this year was the Multicultural Association of Carlton Counties (MACC) team “Paddle Without Borders,” and a team made up of local cancer survivors called “The Unsinkables.”
The “TOW Boat,” a team from the Town of Woodstock, came in first in the event.
Vendors were throughout every foot of the grounds, with wares ranging from cutting boards to antique coins.
Also present were food trucks, including Twisted, Hans The German, and Nachos & Tails.
“I think the market for sure [was our favourite part],” said Brianne Laveck, who attended the events with her family. “Lots of different vendors, good variety too, and everyone’s been super friendly.”
Riker Laveck, one of Brianne’s children, commented that he loved the barbecue food truck present at the NBCC campus.
Lastly, as things wound down, a boat parade was held along the waterfront before fireworks launched, signalling the event’s end.
“I think it’s good for our community spirit, and it showcases what we have to offer as a town that other places don’t,” said Porter, reflecting on the event’s importance. “Not everyone is so blessed as to have these two beautiful rivers that come together right in the middle of our town.”
