22nd Annual Springsong Weekend– A Celebration of Birds and Birding 

May 12-14, 2023 – In person!!

 

 Springsong Weekend will be LIVE and IN PERSON again!!!!! I look forward to welcoming you back as well as meeting new guests!!

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 – RANDY BOYAGODA

Randy Boyagoda is the author of four novels, as well as a scholarly biography and a monograph on race and identity in American fiction. He contributes widely to publications such as the New York Times, Harper’s, and The Guardian and is a regular on Shelagh Rogers’ CBC Radio show, The Next Chapter. His first novel Governor of the Northern Province (2006) was a finalist for the Scotiabank Giller Prize. Beggar’s Feast (2012) was nominated for the IMPAC Dublin Literary Prize and named a New York Times Book Review Editor’s Choice. Original Prin (2018) and Dante’s Indiana (2021) are part of a trilogy set in North America and the Middle East. Boyagoda is Vice Provost and a Professor of English at the University of Toronto and is a past President of PEN Canada.

                                     

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
 
CELEBRITY BIRDER  – IAN DAVIDSON 2023
   

Ian Davidson is a Canadian ecologist who has been a leader in wildlife, nature, and bird conservation organizations throughout the Americas and the Caribbean. For over a decade, he led BirdLife International projects in Ecuador, Patagonia, the Galapagos, and the Amazon basin, and in 2021, became BirdLife International’s Regional Director of the Americas. In late 2022, he attended the conference on Biological Diversity (CoP15) in Montreal, part of an international team of BirdLife partners working to get a fair deal for birds and nature. He firmly believes conservation is local, and as such, works on the Board of the Pelee Island Bird Observatory. Ian will be delivering the Sunday Morning Bird Talk—Big Picture Migration: How Pelee Island birds—cuckoos, bobolinks, prothonotary wailers, and re knots—are getting a boost from South American bird projects that marry first world innovation with indigenous leadership.

 

———————————————————————————————

   

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

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!

2022 RESULTS
GREEN TEAMS
  1. NC C-Birds 9 – Jill Crosthwaite, Mhairi McFarlane, Shkuhnodin Shognosh-Myers
    84 species    WINNERS OF THE BOTHAM CUP
     2.  The Urban Canadians – David Lindo, Wayne Grady, Steve Burrows, Danny Catt
             83 species
     3.  PIBO’ Evan Sinclair – 80 species
NON GREEN TEAMS

Tied for first place with 91 species sighted:  Waterloo Warblers  and  Doctor’s Without Birders

A TOTAL OF 159 SPECIES WERE SPOTTED!!! WELL DONE!
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL TEAMS AND THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING IN THE BOTHAM CUP BIRD RACE!!

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO ATTENDED AND TO ALL PARTICIPATING TEAMS!!!


$20 per team, max 4 members


 

________________________________________________________________________________________

UPCOMING EVENTS FOR 2022  – *******PLEASE NOTE THAT EVENTS TAKING PLACE IN APRIL HAVE BEEN POSTPONED*****

NATURE ON PELEE ISLAND –THE SECRET IS OUT!

A group of islanders has been working to break the secret ! With the help of a Gosling Foundation grant, ‎a program of nature events was developed.   In March we had a Salamander night walk to see the unique to Canada Small Mouth and Blue Spotted complex salamanders returning to their breeding ponds and hear about ongoing research.  The Pelee Island Bird Observatory will soon begin monitoring spring migration, visitors welcome.  Every month through to December is packed with events, see the full program here: PELEE BUZZ.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

GUITAR1

CANCELLED

8TH ANNUAL

ISLAND UNPLUGGED MUSIC FESTIVAL

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: 

The 8th Annual Island Unplugged Music Festival on Pelee Island that was originally planned for 2022 has been cancelled.   Our festival relies heavily on ticket sales, tourism industry partners, food and beverage sponsors, as well as provincial and federal funding to come to life every year. In these uncertain times, the board unanimously agrees that it would be prudent to cancel the 2022 event at this time.

We have considered the safety of our artists, vendors, volunteers, and festival goers, the best interest of the island, and finally the financial health of our organization while coming to this decision. We hope that by making this tough decision now, we will be able to return in 2023.

As CoVid19 continues to have a profound impact on our artists, we humbly ask that you continue to support artists by buying their music. Watch our facebook page for regular artist links with some of our favourite music to purchase.

We also ask that you support our sponsors where you can. These local businesses have given year over year to support this event. Please do your part to #supportlocal.

We wish all of you peace and good health.

Stay safe, festies!

Love from the island…

 

Cathy, Kim & Amanda

www.theislandunplugged.org

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

11th Annual Chili Cookoff  –  Saturday, August 13,2023 @ Pelee Island Wine Pavilion

 

2022 CHILI COOKOFF JUDGE’S RESULTS ARE:

1ST PLACE – Chili on the Rocks – Jerome & Denise Noel

2nd PLACE –   Chili Chili Bang Bang – Dave Conflitti & Clark Brockman

 3rd PLACE –   Willy Nilly Northend Chili – Mike & Laura Gramm, Nicholas Resendes

PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD

CHILL OUT –  Wolfgang Moritz – 5th YEAR IN A ROW!!!
THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR PARTICIPATING TEAMS!!!!

Chili Cookoff – Now in the 10TH 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.

_________________________________________________________________________________

13th Annual Heritage Weekend  – Friday, September 8 & 9, 2023

TO BE ANNOUNCED

Heritage Weekend 2019

______________________________________________________________________

13th Annual Harvest Dinner –  Saturday, September 16, 2023

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!

Harvest Dinner Poster 2022

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

  • HELL ON HEELS – PELEE ISLAND OCTOBER 16,2022

  • 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!!!!!

    The Pelee Buzz 2023 – Your Island Passport to Nature – STAY TUNED 

    Follow the link to download your digital copy of event listings!!!

    PBUZZ_2022 POSTER_RGH01