On Saturday August 4th, there were several hundred visitors to the First Elmvale Water Festival: they came to hear our speakers Ron Martin, William Shotyk, Peter Dillon, Ray Clement, Colin Perkel and Tony Clarke, and to visit the educational displays by theNottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority, the Wye Marsh, and the Severn Sound Environmental Association.

Younger visitors delighted in the children’s water education centre which, with ten hands-on activities, was very busy all day; they also enjoyed the lighter side with a variety of water-related games. There were pony rides and a petting zoo. Musical entertainment was provided throughout the day.

There was lots of excellent food on hand, and lots to drink: we managed to consume 2,000 litres of local spring water which was given away for free, in re-usable, dishwasher-safe, polypropylene bottles (which were included in the price of admission) from Container Corporation of Canada. The day ended on a satisfying note: a gourmet lasagna supper generously provided by Pretto’s Pasta.

Electrical power for the event was provided by the wind and the sun via Bullfrog Power. Additional water bottles were available for sale, as were our the t-shirts bearing the logo of the Elmvale Water Festival, and the Elmvale Foundation. Re-usable water bottles from Sigg (Switzerland) and Klean Kanteen (USA) which had been donated, were given to our volunteers to thank them for their help.

A silent auction helped to raise funds for the event, and include a waterproof camera from Pentax, a portable water filter from General Ecology, a reproduction of a painting of the Wye River by Franz Johnston (one of the founding members of the Group of Seven), thanks to the John Libby Art Gallery, a limited edition print by David Beckett, as well as a beautiful, framed photograph byPeter Whitfield. The event ended with a Saturday Night Dance featuring Ironhorse, with the help from the Elmvale and District Lions Club.

The event was a great success, and all of the volunteers immediately agreed to help again next year! Planning for the 2008 Elmvale Water Festival is already underway.