Celebration

Drum Major Bill March leads the The Picton Legion Marching Band along Main Street in Wellington on Canada day.

Wellington honours its past, present and future

It was a Canada Day like no other. A birthday party in Wellington fitting of 150 years. There were parades, speeches, activities, entertainment, fireworks and delicious food, but mostly it was a community coming together to honour a shared place— its history, tradition, achievements and of work still to do.

The village is celebrating its sesquicentennial this year—the community decided to showcase many and varied talents that reside here. There was a highly praised musical revue that gathered up a standing-room-only crowd at Highline Hall and led them through a charming, moving and amusing history of this community.

There was competition on the waterways. There was a bright, colourful and at times poignant parade featuring precision marching bands, stirring vignettes of history as well as effective reminders of challenges that lay ahead.

Wellington firefighters outdid themselves for this anniversary celebration with a spectacular display of fireworks over a perfect summer evening on the village’s waterfront.

Bay of Quinte Mohawk Chief Don Maracle joined with Rob Callow, a descendant of first settler Daniel Reynolds, as co-marshals of the Canada Day parade. Together they represented the warm relations upon which this community was formed by its founding people. A warmth that endures two centuries later.

Rob Callow, a direct descendent of Daniel Reynolds rides with Bay of Quinte Mohawk Chief Don Maracle as co-marshalls.