PRLog (Press Release) –
The Smiths Falls Railway Museum of Eastern Ontario will be one of the places to be during the Chocolate, Railway & Music Festival to be held in Smiths Falls July 19 - 22.
The Museum’s action starts at 8:00 pm on Thursday, July 19 at the Port Elmsley Drive-in off Port Elmsley Rd just off of Hwy 43 between Smiths Falls and Perth. The evening starts with a Jess Kiddin, the Railway Clown clowning around on stage and around the grounds. The movie starts once the sun goes down. Cost is only $12 per car so load ‘em up and move them out to the Port Elmsley Drive-In.
The Festival officially kicks of on Friday so drop by the Museum for some railway memories. This year the Museum is celebrating the connection between agriculture and the railways. The journey of farm produce and families from the rural areas of Eastern Ontario to the large cities in Eastern Canada and overseas was accomplished by the railways. The Museum is featuring a large display of dairy farming, compliments of Smiths Falls resident, Murray Hall. Tour one of the few Dental Cars, that once travelled the wilderness of Northern Ontario. It is fully stocked and is complete with the dentist’s chair. Who knows when the dentist might be in?
Music
Heading the line-up at the Museum on Saturday and Sunday will be two famous Eastern Ontario performers.
Saturday, July 21, features the music of Dominic D’Arcy, the Singing Policeman, with performances at 11:00 am and 1:30 PM. Accompanying Dominic will be some of his young rising stars. Dominic has entertained around the world and has been instrumental in the development of young talent including Alanis Morissette formerly of Ottawa.
Sunday features Ottawa Valley Country Music Hall of Fame Artist, Tom Wilson, and Border Bluegrass. The show starts in the morning with Gospel Bluegrass at 11:00 am and pure Bluegrass at 1:30 pm. Tom and Border Bluegrass are well known throughout the Ottawa Valley, a recognized voice for many years on CJET Radio in Smiths Falls and now on Heritage Radio in Pembroke. If you have not had the opportunity to hear this true legend of country music, bring your lawn chair, sit down and start to tap your toes.
Award-winning caricature artist and Brockville resident, John Cullen, will be at the Museum for both days doing caricatures of anyone brave enough to fall to the whims of John’s pencil. John is well known for his almost-real caricatures of local personalities. You will be able to see some of John’s art throughout the Museum in the form of “critter characters”, as well as on the drawings for the Kids’ Colouring contest. Random draws later in the season will feature a large HO-scale train set, along with a number of other prizes. Pictures for colouring are available at the Museum at on their website at www.sfrmeo.ca.
Railways
The Museum’s handcar and speeder will be in operation to offer rides down the tracks. For the model railroader, there will be layouts galore featuring a mouse-sized layout in a suitcase, a 10’x 20’ HO-scale layout and a large G-scale layout that occupies a space of 20’x 30’ and several smaller N-scale layouts. Demonstrations of how some of the restoration work is carried out will be on display.
The engineers of Canadian Pacific Railway will be at the Railway Museum to answer any and all questions that would-be engineers of all ages might have. On the east side of town near their yard at the end of William St, CP Rail will be featuring some of their big heavy-haul freight locomotives. Visitors will be able to climb aboard these workhorses of industry and sit at the controls. Signs will direct visitors between the Railway Museum and the freight locomotives.
Admission at the Museum will be $5 for adults; $3 for seniors and students; children under twelve $2, (under 3 free) for each day. Donations to the Tay Rideau Food Bank would also be appreciated. Further information can be obtained on the Museum’s website,
http://www.sfrmeo.ca, or by calling the Museum at 613-283-5696
