The village of Port Stanley, Ont. was packed for day one of a three-day festival on Civic Holiday weekend. CALIPSO (Come and Live in Port Stanley, Ontario) is a community event put on by volunteers. At Little Beach, children were getting up close with mythological creatures in Mermaid’s Cove. “It is so much fun to see the joy and excitement on these kids faces,” said Jenna Pay, also known as Mermaid Aurora. “It keeps the magic of childhood alive for them, and for us as well, and it’s super special.” CALIPSO is full of free activities which include a boat parade with hundreds of people lining the harbour and fireworks scheduled for Sunday night. “It’s really starting to build momentum, which makes me super happy because more and more organizations are finding things and ways to showcase what their organization is,” said Marna Berry, CALIPSO chair. “It really is a community festival. We’re very excited to celebrate our local businesses, so we’ve got rid of the marketplace and an attempt to drive business to our local bricks and mortar.” Central Elgin Mayor Andrew Sloan had a boat in the parade. “I think it’s as good if it’s not better than it ever was,” said Sloan. “It’s a surprise to me because I think a lot of people are happy to celebrate Port Stanley in Central Elgin. It’s for all members of the family, from young to old, and we look forward to welcoming as many people as we can.” CALIPSO took a two-decade hiatus with its peak in the mid-1980s. Back then, it featured music, a popular beer tent, land parades, petting zoo, dunk tank, and classic bed races. The Tall Ships would also come into the harbour. This year is the first time they’ve had a liquor license since their return. “Back in the day, it was always the snow fence, the barbecue, the license, the entertainment,” said Berry. “For the first time this year, we are able to offer this and so many people have so many great ideas for the committee next year. We’re even keeping our fingers crossed, the tall ships may make an appearance next year as well for CALIPSO festival.” The activities run through Monday. More photos are available in CTV London’s photo galleries section.
