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The nautical splendour of the oldest shipyard in British Columbia will come to life with a flotilla of wooden boats, maritime-themed performances and exhibits telling the stories of our maritime history at the 18th annual Richmond Maritime Festival Re-Imagined.

Photo courtesy City of Richmond

Maritime festival re-imagined

By Don Fennell

Published 2:48 PDT, Tue August 17, 2021

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Ahoy matey, the time has come to again set sail on a seafaring adventure.

After being a fully online celebration last year, the 18th annual Richmond Maritime Festival on Aug. 21 and 22 will include limited in-person access. But with the COVID-19 pandemic still on- going, the“re-imagined” version can again also be enjoyed remotely.

“We have been working with the City of Richmond and Britannia Shipyards to ensure that this event is safe and exciting,” explains Andrew Wade, executive director of the Richmond Arts Coalition, whose group is overseeing the significant artistic part of the program. “To have a safe and fun in-person festival this year, and one that fits with provincial COVID-19 safety procedures, we are asking all festival-goers to sign up for an hour-long time slot online. This way, we can manage the crowd size and keep everyone healthy and happy.”

There will also be an interactive online map of the Britannia site with local performances in different digital locations, Wade continues, noting virtual performances will include the popular Norine Braun and up-and-coming Allie McDonald.

Those able to attend in-person at the Britannia Shipyards will be treated to a variety of live performances ranging from music to storytelling to caricature art. Acts will include Lulu the Mermaid, The Seabillys, Serenata, and GO Taiko.

And what salute to all things nautical would be complete without boats?

A bounty of wooden creations will be on display, with an opportunity to walk the 190-metre (600-foot) dock to admire wooden boats and ships of all kinds. The dock will be accessible only through the Seine Net Loft from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on both days. But due to the capacity of the heritage buildings, and current health and safety regulations, space in the loft and the dock will be significantly limited.

Strollers, dogs and large backpacks will not be permitted for safety reasons.

Boats include the historic SS Master, an 85-foot vessel that is just a year away from its 100th birthday. Built in 1922, the Steveston-based craft is one of the few remaining steam-powered tugboats and still operates with its original First World War surplus steam engine. During its working life, the SS Master plied the waters of the Pacific Northwest towing logs and barges throughout the region.

Built in Denmark in 1903, the 80-foot Providence also calls Steveston its home port. As a North Sea anchor seiner, it served several decades among that region’s fishing fleet.

Also anchored in Richmond, the Pacific Yellowfin is 113 feet in length and was originally built in 1943 as a U.S. military vessel. Today, it travels as an exclusive private charter yacht.

In addition to the performances and boats, there will be a number of food trucks on-site serving up fish and chips, poke, and icy desserts, among other things.

Throughout the festival hours, the entire historic site will be open to the public and visitors will be able to discover surprises around every corner. But adhering to health and safety regulations, only a limited number of walk-up spots will be available.

Visitors are encouraged to book a time-based entry slot in advance to visit the Seine Net Loft, boat docks and Britannia Shipyards building.

Those unable to attend in person can enjoy a full virtual experience by referring to the festival’s new interactive map at richmondmaritimefestival.ca which is available on Aug. 21 and 22. The map will include videos and content about the history of Steveston, stories about Britannia Shipyards, and more.