As Canadian Environment Week wraps up, the first South Shore Fest is being held Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Mariners Park Museum in Milford.
The event is being hosted by the South Shore Joint Initiative (SSJI) and is a free-for-all-ages community eco-fest featuring:
-Take a morning guided walk through South Shore conserved and public lands
-Check out the Avro Arrow Exhibit at Mariner’s Park Museum
-Make a bird box and a walking stick with Wild Thing coordinator Cheryl Chapman
-Info booths – learn about the South Shore Footpath Project, local environmental initiatives & more
-Big Mike’s BBQ – a PEC smokehouse favourite since 2016
-Music by local duos Kyra & Tully and Reggie with Mario Panacci and Ruth Dwight
-Drumming circle with Ruth Dwight
-The first-ever Milford laser-guided Night Sky Tour at 9:00 p.m.
Activities run rain or shine.
SSJI President Cheryl Anderson says South Shore Fest is an expansion of an event promoting the South Shore Foot Path.
“We’ve expanded. We’re bringing in the fishery. We’re bringing in more specific kid- and family-centred activities and having more for people to see and do there.
Anderson says the Night Sky Tour is in conjunction with the Belleville chapter or the Royal Astronomy Society as they look to get Dark Sky Designation for the South Shore of Prince Edward County.
“Part of that is telling people about the stars and and telling people about the problems with light pollution … This type of activity is to bring more people in touch with the stars and the sky.”
Dark Sky Designation gives people a place they can go to set up telescopes and see the night sky and allows for by-laws to limit light in a certain area.
Anderson says there are already light by-laws in place.
Light can also impact animals.
“Birds migrate at night and there have been cases where they’re attracted to a lot of light and specifically have run into towers and things, and it kills them.”
She adds SSJI thanks a thoughtful donor who stepped forward to sponsor free parking at Little Bluff for all Family Walk participants on Saturday.
SSJI is a volunteer-run organization with a mission to educate and advocate for the protection, preservation and restoration of South Shore lands and waters in Prince Edward County, where together biodiversity and people thrive.
The organization asks that people register for the walks.
More information including how to register for the walks can be found here : https://www.ssji.ca/southshorefest-2025
A special SSJI fundraiser will also be running.
Their brand-new educational greeting cards are available for $5 each or five for $20.
Proceeds directly support SSJI’s vital work in protecting and preserving Prince Edward County’s South Shore.
They’re available at the SSJI booth on Saturday and after the festival. Find them at Rossmore Pharmacy or online at SSJI.CA.
