By Alexandra Brothers, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter / August 18, 2023 Edition
The Gulch Beach Festival is an event that residents of the Town of St. Mary’s have been celebrating for two decades. This year also happened to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Town’s incorporation, making the celebration even more special.
The Gulch Beach Festival started off as Gulch Days, which originated as an informal gathering between a few families who would get together for barbeques and live music. Over the past 20 years, however, it has evolved into a weekend-long festival that attracts visitors from all over the province. Many former residents plan their vacations around the festival so that they can return home for the celebration, said the president of the Gulch Beach Improvement Committee, Michael White. This year, the festivities spanned over 10 days as the Town of St. Mary’s put off a slew of events following the annual festival to celebrate the Town’s incorporation.
“It’s been a growing festival since day one and this was the biggest turnout that we’ve ever had,” said White.
This year, the festival drew approximately 1,000 people. White has been on the committee since the festival’s inception and has seen the event grow each year. One of the festival’s main attractions — it’s antique car show—continues to be a major success. This year, there were 94 antique cars, making it “one of the biggest car shows on the Avalon,” according to White.
In addition to its celebrated car show, the festival offered a little of something for everyone, from games of chance to a variety of children’s activities. Festival goers got to enjoy food from a selection of stalls along with live music. The event’s seaside-locale is another attractive feature that helps to draw crowds. White said many guests come to explore the town’s ocean-side trails during the festival.
White described the event as “a win-win for the town,” since the influx of visitors during the event helps to promote businesses in St. Mary’s. For a community of only around 350 residents, the crowds that the festival draws offer a welcome boost for local stores and bed and breakfasts.
White said the committee is already in the planning stages for next year’s festival. He said the members are looking forward to bringing back all the events that made this year’s festival such a success and they hope to see the event continue to grow in years to come.
