The Rural Community of Upper Miramichi, Central NB Woodmen’s Museum and the Conservation Council of New Brunswick are proud to present the Upper Miramichi Forest Festival on Sunday, August 21st from 11am-4pm at the Woodmen’s Museum and Upper Miramichi Community Park (6342 Route 8, Boiestown. The first ever forest festival will also mark the official opening of the Upper Miramichi Community Park.
The forest festival will feature a morning run with the Miramichi River Runners, a wild blueberry pancake brunch and vendors displaying forest products such as wild berry jams & jellies, fiddleheads, crafts, wreaths and soaps. Friends from Metepenagiag will give us a “Taste of Metepenagiag Tour” with berry teas and a demonstration of sealing a birch bark canoe with spruce gum. Learn how to make cedar shingles, inoculate logs for shitake mushrooms, make soap or recycle paper. Laugh out loud at a play by the The Saplings Theatre Production. Join a forest scavenger hunt designed for all ages and learn how to identify the variety of flora and food in our forest. Enjoy a game of horseshoes or washers, face-painting, tours of the Museum grounds and forest games for kids. Learn about Upper Miramichi’s community forest initiatives. Check out a showcase of maps of Upper Miramichi’s forest produced by Mojo Mapping, Fundy Model Forest, the Rural Municipality of Upper Miramichi & the Conservation Council. Videos and literature on community forestry initiatives will be on hand for you to check out.
Enjoy a great day with family and friends and discover the many wonders and opportunities that our forest provides!
Schedule of Events
Miramichi River Runners
Register at 10 am at Carroll’s Crossing. Walk beings at 11am.
This 5 km walk/run begins at 430 Carroll’s Crossing Road at 11am (10:30 am for walkers). A fee of $5 is required. For more information, contact Bradley at inukshukat@hotmail.com.
Wild Blueberry Pancake Brunch
Cookhouse/Kitchen, 11am-1pm
Let the Museum staff and volunteers whip up a scrumptious pancake brunch for you and your family. Includes 2 large blueberry pancakes, maple syrup, ham or bacon, coffee or tea. Adult $6 or Children $4 (1 pancake).
Upper Miramichi Map Showcase Museum
Cedar Room, Museum, 11am-4pm
Fifty-six percent of our incorporated area is Crown Lands. Come and see the work that we have completed mapping the variety of resources within Upper Miramichi with the help of Mojo Mapping, CCNB and Fundy Model Forest.
Non-Timber Forest Product & Local Vendors
Museum, 11am-4pm
There are many “products” that we can find in our forests outside the usual 2 by 4. Jams and jellies from wild berries, fiddleheads, crafts, wreaths, soaps, and much, much more. And lots of items that you never even heard of! Come and purchase some from our local producers.
Check out:
- Birdseye Specialty Products
- Wilson’s Family Homestead (jams, preserves, rustic/log furniture)
- Naturally Inspired Products (soaps, creams, etc)
- Miramichi Wreath Company
- Shikatehawk Maple Products (maple syrup)
- Soulflower Herbal- a Wolastoqiyik family owned producer of body care and wellness products sourced from our New Brunswick forests. Soulflower Herbal make salves, balms, soaps, moisturizers, bug repellent and sun block.
Metepenagiag Heritage Park
Museum, 11am-4pm
Come and experience the “Taste of Metepenagiag Tour” as well as a demonstration of sealing a birch bark canoe with spruce gum, berry teas that you can try, and birch bark creation for the kids.
Recycling Paper
Museum, 11:30-12:30pm
Ever wondered what to do with all that scrap paper kicking around the house. Let Museum Board Members show you how you can make your own inventive and unique “recycled” paper at home.
Shingle Making Display
Museum, 11:30-12:30pm
Let Museum Board members, Bill Griffin and Vernon Dunphy, show you how to make old time cedar shingles.
Upper Miramichi Community Park Official Opening
Park Entrance, 12:30pm
The official opening of the Upper Miramichi Community Park. Come over and enjoy a stroll amongst the towering Red Pines and peaceful surroundings. Or let the kids play on the new playground equipment and games.
NB Merit Awards
Park Entrance, 12:45pm
Come and pay tribute to those individuals or groups that provide great volunteer services for our community with the presentation of the NB Merit Awards.
“The Saplings” Theatre Production 1st Showing
Museum, 1st showing: 1:00-1:30pm, 2nd showing: 2:30-3:00pm
Dianne Clowater and her young theatre troop will perform a skit on the back deck of the Museum. Choose between either a 1pm or 2:30 pm showing. WARNING: be prepared to Laugh out Loud!
How to Grow Shitake Mushrooms
Park, 1-2pm
Interested in growing your own mushrooms? Join Megan de Graaf of CCNB in a workshop on how to inoculate hardwood logs to grow shitake mushrooms.
Scavenger Hunt
Park, 1-4pm
With 48 acres of forested area, the Community Park is a great place to find Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs). Sign up your 4-6 person team at the Park Entrance and receive your free Guidebook and instructions. You have the afternoon to discover the NTFPs and all teams who find all items will have a chance to win great prizes. NOTE: CAMERAS are required to “PROVE” you found your NTFPs. No harvesting allowed!
Horseshoes & Washer Toss
Park, 1-4pm
Come and play a friendly game of horse shoes or washer toss…
Soap Making
Museum, 2-2:30pm
Ever think you would like to make your own soap. Here is your chance as Naturally Inspired Products can show you some of the tricks of the trade!
Community Forestry — Ongoing
Throughout the day, videos on Community Forestry initiatives will be featured as well as face-painting, tours of the Museum grounds, and other Forest Games for the kids.
If you are a vendor of local products or non-timber forest products and would like to book a free table, please contact Sarah/Mary at 369-9810.
