The winners of this year’s Tubie Festival race on the St. Lawrence was the Roll’er Back Over team. Front row, left to right are: Ryan Brown, Katrina Geurkink, Jordan St. Louis, Tanner Hummel, Casey McNairn, Alice Cameron, Makayla Barrette, and Aaron Smith. The teams winning time was 26 min and 19 seconds for the 3.5 km course along the St. Lawrence. Back row, left to right: Kaitlyn Geurkink, Christyn Vienotte and Dev Sam. Morin Photo
MORRISBURG – The annual Tubie Festival did not appear to have missed a beat as it returned to Morrisburg after being derailed by Covid for three years.
Organizers of the popular event of fun, music, eating, racing, and parading, say it is the 50th anniversary of this special summer event.
Thirteen teams registered for the race, along the St. Lawrence on Sun., July 31 and there were 10 that actually arrived for the race. At the start, there was some confusion as tubie crafts collided with each other, but then it was clear sailing as the contestants sorted themselves out.
The Roll’er Back Over captained by Gordon St. Louis came in first with a time of 26:19. Close behind in second place with a time of 27:29 was the Cabin Craft. The Lion King came in at 28:37. Winners of the parade Saturday were the Lion King float followed by the Wizard of Oz and Roll’er Back Over crew.
The festival featured something for everyone with a parade that was both creative and colourful, lots to eat and drink, a place for children to play and live music.
The entire event was organized by the Tubie Committee of Volunteers. It was an event to fundraise for the Morrisburg Lions’ Junior C hockey team.
Geraldine Fitzsimons, a member of the organizing committee said, “It is nice to see people out with their friends and family.”
She said, “The parade was outstanding and creative.”
She claimed putting the event together was relatively straightforward. “We have a good group,” she said referring to the organizing committee.
Chair of the organizing committee, Lois Casselman said “We have done this for years and we have a very good group.”
She said the committee was good at its job but the community was fantastic in its support for the festival.
Joseph Morin is the Editor of the Eastern Ontario AgriNews, and the Record. He is, despite years of practice, determined to eventually play the guitar properly. He has served the Eastern Ontario community as a news editor, and journalist for the past 25 years with the Iroquois Chieftain, Kemptville Advance, West Carleton Review, and Ottawa Carleton Review in Manotick. He has never met a book he did not like.
