Waterfest is back on Saturday, August 10th

Cornwall Waterfest is back, and it’s bigger than ever.

The annual event returns to the Cornwall Canal on Saturday, August 10th with a full slate of activities, food, and vendors. The event will run from 8:30am until 4pm.

This year’s Waterfest will showcase an exciting lineup of dragon boat races, featuring a record-breaking 23 teams across 4 divisions -community, club recreational, ladies, and club competitive. This marks the largest turnout in the event’s history, with an impressive 10 women’s teams participating.

“We are thrilled with the turnout for this year’s event, and we are excited to welcome all of the visiting teams to Cornwall for the races,” said Mikel Billard, chair of Waterfest.

Of the registered teams, Billard said the majority were from outside of the area, including locations such as Ottawa, Kingston, and Peterborough.

“We will have over 500 race participants in this year’s event, which is a record high for us,” said Billard. “We invite all residents and visitors to come out to the event and enjoy a great day of fun.”

The dragon boat races are staged at the historic Cornwall Canal (south of Second Street West and Power Dam Drive) and features teams of 20 – and a drummer – racing one another on the majestic vessels along a 200-metre course. Spectators often line the canal banks to watch the races and cheer on the teams while enjoying the beautiful venue.

In addition to the thrilling dragon boat races, the festival grounds will host a diverse array of vendors offering a delectable selection of food and drinks. Attendees can enjoy culinary delights from both local favourites and out-of-town specialties, including Thai Khmer, Weenies on Wheels, and Swift Store. Make sure to save some time to grab a bite and browse the different vendors on site.

Supporting St. Joseph’s Care Foundation

This year, Cornwall Waterfest is joining up with St. Joseph Continuing Care Centre to raise funds for its expanded rehabilitation space.

St. Joseph’s Continuing Care Centre operates 150 Long-Term Care beds and 58 Complex Continuing Care beds and has been providing healthcare services to the Cornwall area for over 125 years. Funds raised from this event will purchase new rehabilitation equipment for the program.  Donate now!

Additional information

​For additional information on Cornwall Waterfest, check out their Facebook or Instagram page or the official Waterfest website.

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