Rikki the Rat, Lulu the Mermaid, the Shady Isle Pirates and numerous other salty dogs, scallywags and creatures of the deep will be on the loose this Saturday and Sunday at the 14th annual Richmond Maritime Festival.
Surprise encounters are a big part of the entertainment at the event, which is being presented by the Port of Vancouver.
Pop-up entertainment will occur throughout the eight-acre Britannia Shipyards National Historic Site.
Another popular highlight is the group of Shady Isle Pirates, who will be found pillaging and parlaying along Britannia’s 600-foot dock and throughout the site. They will also be launching the always-hilarious mini-brigs (imagine pirate ships the size of a clown car, on water – with cannons).
There’s also plenty of live music and other entertainment on the festival’s multiple stages, including a headline performance on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. by local rockers Good For Grapes.
Celtic folk-rock trio Tiller’s Folly; the folk-rock mash-up sounds of the Halifax Wharf Rats; bluegrass favourites Lonesome Town Painters; and Vancouver’s “First Lady of Uke,” Daphne Roubini and Black Gardenia are also part of the eclectic mainstage mix.
There will also be First Nations dancers, Chinese choral music and Bhangra.
Festival-goers can tour the numerous historic buildings, including B.C.’s oldest shipyard. Many of the historic buildings on site have been restored and feature engaging and interactive displays about B.C.’s maritime history.
Meanwhile, the new Our Coastal Communities exhibit in the Seine Net Loft, which shows how grassroots community efforts are helping to combat the issue of plastic and other waste being dumped into oceans, lakes and rivers.
The Richmond Maritime Festival will run from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 12, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 13. Admission is free. For more details visit www.richmondmaritimefestival.ca.
