SPRINGSONG BANQUET IS NOW SOLD OUT!!!
PLEASE EMAIL TO BE PUT ON THE WAITING LIST
24th Annual Springsong Weekend– A Celebration of Birds and Birding
May 9-11, 2025
THIS EVENT IS A MAJOR FUNDRAISER FOR THE HERITAGE CENTRE THUS TICKETS WILL BE NON REFUNDABLE UNLESS GOVERNMENT RESTRICTIONS PREVENT THE EVENT FROM HAPPENING. SHOULD YOU CANCEL YOU WILL RECEIVE A CHARITABLE TAX RECEIPT FOR THE FULL AMOUNT OF THE TICKET.
Thank you!
Sincerely, Kim
A MAJOR fundraising in support of the Pelee Island Heritage Centre
Springsong Weekend – Traditionally held on Mother’s Day Weekend. It is a weekend of celebration involving books and birds. This event was started seventeen years ago as a fundraiser for The Heritage Centre with the help of Pelee Island Bird Observatory and Margaret Atwood. There is a 24 hour green “bird race” competing for the coveted Botham Cup. Margaret Atwood continues the tradition of bringing award winning authors to our island where they are introduced by her at our traditionally sold out banquet.
GUEST AUTHOR – Sarah Polley
Dan Mennill Professor, Associate Dean of Science
Email: dmennillATuwindsorDOTca
Web: www.uwindsor.ca/dmennill
Dan’s research interests include bioacoustics, animal behaviour, and animal migration, with a special focus on field studies of birds, whales, and frogs. Dan received a BArtSci from McMaster University, a PhD from Queen’s University, and conducted post-doctoral research at Cornell University and Auburn University. He joined the University of Windsor in 2005; he was granted tenure in 2008 and became a Full Professor in 2018. Dan is a Fellow and an Elected Councillor of the American Ornithological Society, and a lifetime member of the Society of Canadian Ornithologists and the Animal Behavior Society. Dan has served as Associate Editor at Biology Letters, Condor: Ornithological Applications, and Acta Ethologica. Since 2017 Dan has served as the Associate Dean of Science, Graduate Studies and Research. Dan received the Alumni Award for Distinguished Contributions to University Teaching, and on three occasions he received the Award for Excellence in Scholarship, Research, and Creative Activity. Dan lives with his wife and children in Lasalle.
PAST AUTHORS
Author Celebrity Birder
2002 Margaret Atwood Kevin Seymour
2003 Farley Mowat Unveiling Stone Road Plaque
2004 Alistair MacLeod Orlando Garrido & Arturo Kirkconnell (Cuba)
2005 Jane Urquhart Bill Lishman
2006 Alice Munro Peter Matthiessen
2007 David Suzuki Fred Bodsworth
2008 Vincent Lamb Bridget Strutchbury
2009 Joseph Boyden Mystery Birder
2010 Brian Brett Robert & Birgit Freybe Bateman
2011 Nino Ricci Trevor Herriot
2012 Wayne Grady & Ian Davidson Merilyn Simonds
2013 Elizabeth Hay TBA
2014 Linden MacIntyre TBA
2015 Lawrence Hill Trevor Herriot
2016 Miriam Toews Graeme Gibson the Younger
2017 Michael Crummey Wayne Grady
2018 Madeleine Thien Sean Dooley
2019 Steve Burrows Danny Catt
2020 Lorna Crozier Trevor Herriot
2021 Louise Penny David Lindo
2022 Lorna Crozier David Lindo
2023 Randy Boyagoda Ian Davidson
2024 Helen Humphreys Rodrigo López
2025 Sarah Polley Dan Mennill
peleeislandhc@gmail.com
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Botham Cup Bird Race
– Take part in the 24 hour “green” bird race and rally for the coveted Botham Cup. The official gong is sounded at the Heritage Centre, Friday at noon. Your team will have 24 hours to spot as many of the 314 species of birds that visit our island. Finish the day at Springsong Banquet where Margaret Atwood will give out the famous rubber chicken awards!
Doctors Without Birders’ – 112 species
David Eisenstein, Daniel Clyde, Megan Eisenstein Ferguson
Sumiko Feathers – 68 species
THANK YOU TO ALL WHO ATTENDED AND TO ALL PARTICIPATING TEAMS!!!
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
14th Annual Chili Cookoff – Saturday, August 9,2025 @ Pelee Island Wine Pavilion
2024 CHILI COOKOFF JUDGE’S RESULTS ARE:
-
Trailer Park Boys – Matty
-
Chili Chili Bang Bang – Clark & Dave
-
Chill Out – Wolf & Aurella
2nd PLACE – TRAILER PARK BOYS – Matty
3rd PLACE – CHILL OUT – Wolfgang & Aurella
PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD
STONEMAN’S CHILI – BRIDGETTE ROMAN, CHUCHIE & MICHELE HAUBIEL AND MOM HAUBIEL
THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR PARTICIPATING TEAMS!!!!
Chili Cookoff – Now in the 12TH year, it is a great community gathering where teams compete for great prizes the Official Chili Cup and the People’s Choice Award. A great fundraiser for the Heritage Centre; it is drawing competitors from outside our country making the Pelee Island Southernmost Chili Cookoff a truly international event. To sign up as a contestant please contact the Heritage Centre at 519-724-2291.
_________________________________________________________________________________
15th Annual Heritage Weekend – Friday, September 6 & Saturday, September 7, 2025
Unique Places & Spaces on Pelee Island
Itinerary to be announced by end of May
______________________________________________________________________
15th Annual Harvest Dinner – Saturday, September 13, 2025
Join us at the Pelee Island Wine Pavilion for a scrumptious end of the season banquet! And don’t forget – Island Pie for dessert! Tickets are limited and are non-refundable. In the event that you cannot attend, please contact the Heritage Centre and every effort will be made to re-sell your ticket. Our last Harvest Dinner was a sold out event so save the date as this will no doubt be a very memorable evening!
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
-
HELL ON HEELS – PELEE ISLAND OCTOBER 19, 2025
- STAY TUNED FOR 2023 TIMES/DATE
-
REGISTER BY PHONE/EMAIL TO HERITAGE CENTRE
519-724-2291 OR PELEEISLANDHC@GMAIL.COM
DIG OUT YOUR HEELS & SEE YOU AT THE REGISTRATION TABLE @WESTVIEW ON RACE DAY!!!
-
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!!!!