Wasaga Under Siege 2018

Piping Plovers 2018

Upcoming Events – Summer 2018

Wasaga Under Siege – August 18th and 19th

Visit British, American, and British Naval encampments on Nancy Island Historic Site. Re-enactors will transport you back to the War of 1812 through musket and cannon firing, 1812 cooking, fashion and surgeon demonstrations and storytelling. Musical entertainment.

NEW THIS YEAR – SATURDAY EVENING PERFORMANCE

In celebration of the 125th Anniversary of Ontario Parks and the 90th Anniversary of Nancy Island Historic Site, there will be a Saturday Evening Performance featuring David Archibald, Fife and Drum Corp, and the Hard Tackers Sea Shanty Crew.

Admission to the performance is FREE!

Gates will reopen at 7:30pm with David Archibald performing at 8pm.

Nancy Island Historic Site’s 90th Birthday!

Nancy Island Historic Site was first opened to the public in 1928 and is recognized both nationally and provincially as an important heritage site.  Despite this, very few Canadians are aware that a significant naval engagement occurred here during the War of 1812 and that the charred remains of HMS Nancy represent one of the largest artifacts on display from this pivotal moment in Canadian history.

It was speculated over the years that the sunken hull of the Nancy aided in the formation of an island in the middle of the Nottawasaga River.  While exploring on July 1, 1911, C.H.J. Snider, a journalist and a marine historian from Toronto, found the location of the hull.  The remains of the hull were completely buried and it wasn’t until August 1924, when Dr. F. J. Conboy discovered a 24-pound American cannon ball close by that interest was renewed in the Nancy.

In 1926 the ‘Nancy Committee’ was formed by local and provincial government officials and marine enthusiasts.  These individuals would direct the care and management of HMS Nancy over the next three decades.  Highlights from the Nancy Committee’s initial work can be found the Friends of Nancy Island and Wasaga Beach Park’s blog…  http://nancyislandblog.wordpress.com