The annual Festival at Fort Willow is getting some final touches on its cannons before blasting visitors back to the past later this month.
The festival, which takes place at the historic Grenfel Road site Friday, Sept. 27 and Saturday, Sept. 28, shows visitors what life was like during the War of 1812 when the United States and British army were battling over Canada.
In preparation for the upcoming event, volunteers and representatives from Springwater Township will finish building a shed that will hold tack and feed for horses at the festival.
Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority communications co-ordinator Maria Leung says the event is a highlight of the year, which usually leads to more interest in local history.
“For the NVCA, the festival is so important in order to have the kids learning about the region and things within the area so they get excited about where they live,” Leung said. “We see hundreds of kids from schools and family outings who come to learn and play each year in some of our locations.
"Local involvement is crucial," she added.
The Festival at Fort Willow will be full of local history buffs re-enacting life as it was in 1812, with lessons in candle-making, being a blacksmith and a fur trader.
Fort Willow is located about 20 minutes west of Barrie, near George Johnston Road and Portage Trail.
Dennis Johnson, who has been re-enacting since 1979, told BarrieToday he loves to share the passion with this generation that he had when he was a kid.
“When I see these children coming here and their eyes light up with wonder, I see me when I was about five or six years old,” he said.
“I’ve heard it all my life, that Canadian history is boring. I don’t agree," Johnson added. "I think the teacher who taught it was maybe boring, but Canadian history is exciting and full of adventure.”
During the War of 1812, Fort Willow played an important role in being a supply depot for British armies to send supplies north.
First Nations, fur traders and French explorers also actively used the site as part of a major transportation route for centuries.
At the festival, Johnson will showcase the trade of blacksmith, as well as play the role of a North West Company (fur trading company at the time) representative.
The 66-year-old says he enjoys teaching people about some of the things they think they know, but realize later they don’t.
“When I tell people about the Nine Mile Portage and how busy it was. They can’t believe it because they have always viewed it as bush and forest,” said Johnson.
“But this was the Highway 400 of its time and was turned into a corduroy road to handle some of the heavy traffic that came through," he added. "Sure, there was thick bush around the area, but there were roads, too.”
The Friday, Sept. 27 festival date will be a day for schools and students to visit and explore the past, while Saturday, Sept. 28 is free to the public from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.
Fort Willow Conservation Area is located at 2714 Grenfel Road in Springwater Township.
