By Mark Squibb
October 13, 2023 Edition
Mark your calendars, July 24 to 28 has been designated as Ferryland Days next year.
The five-day event, which will serve as the lead up to the annual Shamrock Folk Festival, is being organized by a committee of local volunteers.
“The Shamrock Festival is the premier summer event in Ferryland,” said committee member Nathan Ryan. “And a group of us got together and were chatting, and we said, ‘It doesn’t need to be just the two-day Shamrock Festival, but what if we have a Ferryland Days and bring back the softball tournament and the dory races, similar to what happened in 2019 with Come Home Year, but on a much smaller scale?’”
From those conversations, a five-member committee, consisting of Ryan, Katie Barbour, Lucille Hynes, Erica O’Brien, and Wayne Ryan, was born.
“We’re only in the early days, but we’re getting going,” said Ryan. “We’re already on the road to mapping things out and getting some firm details in place.”
He said the committee will be busy over the coming months fundraising, recruiting volunteers, and seeking government financial support.
Ryan said folks have already expressed an interest in lending a hand.
“There are people who have come to us and said, ‘We support what you’re doing, we just don’t have the time to sit on a committee, but we’ll volunteer any way we can,’ and so it was nice to have that broad range of support,” said Ryan. “Ultimately, we want to make things as affordable as possible, and nothing is going down. And so, the less of a burden we can pass on to the people participating in the events the better. And that comes from partnerships and funding from government and different fundraising initiatives.”
While no events have been set in stone yet, Ryan said there are a number of ideas on tap, including a sports day and outdoor movie and other activities aimed at youth to make the festival more attractive to young families.
Plenty of other events are being planned as well.
“A big event that was a real big success in 2019 during the Come Home Year was the community breakfast, and that’s something we’re passionate about doing again,” said Ryan. “There’s a whole bunch of ideas around the table, and I’m sure there will be more yet.”
Ryan said the committee has met with the Southern Shore Folk Arts Council, which hosts the Shamrock Festival each year, to discuss Ferryland Days.
Whatever else happens, Ryan said the Shamrock Festival will remain the Shamrock Festival.
“That’s not going to change,” he said. “The Southern Shore Shamrock Festival will always remain. But what we’re going to do is have something leading up to that weekend.”
And while the festival is a long way off yet, Ryan said the committee is eager to get the word out early.
“People make their plans and decide if they’re coming home for the summer early in the winter,” said Ryan. “They’re making those plans in the winter, so we have to be prepared by early January or February.”
