Donald Teuma-Castelletti SHEENBORO July 1, 2017
The sides of chemin Sheen were lined with hundreds of people as the annual Canada Day parade rolled through the town of Sheenboro.
Celebrating their 21st year of hosting the festivities, the small community managed a big crowd for a successful Canada 150 party. And with everything from live rock n’ roll covers, funnel cakes, a bouncy castle and beer, Sheenboro had a bit of something for everyone.
The day’s events started off right at 9 a.m. with a mass at the St. Paul the Hermit Church and a lumberjack breakfast kicking off a half hour later. From there, the rest of the events – and the weather – fell right into place. “For some reason, even with this weather, we still got the crowd,” said Sheenboro Mayor Doris Ranger, referencing the overcast sky of the morning.
When 11 a.m. hit, the warm, sunny sky welcomed the growing crowd as the smell of burgers and hotdogs began wafting through the air. Children and adults dressed in all sorts of Canada-themed garb milled about, some enjoying the opening of the ceremonies with a speech by Ranger at the bandstand while others tossed horseshoes or claimed their spot along the parade route.
Classic rock cover band Station Hill delighted and entertained, as their mix of tunes leaned heavy on the Canadian music for the day.
Just as noon rolled around, so did the beginning of the ever-popular Canada Day parade. Bagpipes led the show as fire trucks, classic cars and local business vehicles chugged through, exciting everyone they passed by.
Many of the parade vehicles were done up in their best decorations, from humble Canada 150 flags strewn across hoods to antlers perched on a car’s roof. Those walking alongside their vehicle often had painted faces and tossed candy to whoever was so lucky to catch a bundle.
One highlight featured a tribute to Stompin’ Tom Connors, complete with music blasting off the pickup truck and song titles plastered across signs, held up by the crew aboard the back.
As the parade ended, the crowd made their way back into the park area, where the lines for food, beer and activities grew longer and longer.
Ranger said the day is put on with the devotion of the town’s volunteers, despite having such a small community to begin with.
“We’re 122 full-time people, but we quadruple in the summer,” said Ranger.
Another draw, piquing a lot of passerby’s interests, was a small stand with over a dozen animal pelts on display. While many younger children would rush up to feel the furs, their hosts would teach them and their parents about traditional trapping and respect for the real product.
“There’s only a few diehard trappers remaining in the area,” said Lionel Lacroix, a fourth-generation trapper from Fort Coulonge.
With some darker clouds rolling back around towards the middle of the afternoon, the crowd showed no signs of letting up. Young ones continued to rush from one activity to the next, while others simply took it easy under the many tents onsite.
And as Sheenboro’s mayor herself put it, Canadians weren’t about to let a bit of bad weather ruin their day.
“If you’re a true Canadian, you can get by,” she said.
