The newly developed Tyee Landing will be the central hub of activities for the Port Alberni Port Authority’s Port Day on Saturday, June 17.
Although the second annual Port Day is only one day long, the celebration is also joining with the second annual Solstice Arts Festival. The Port Authority will be sponsoring a shuttle van to transport festival-goers between the downtown harbour area and the Rollin Arts Centre or the Capitol Theatre.
“We’ve sponsored with them, we’ve been supporting each other in organization,” said PAPA director of public relations Dave McCormick. “We recognized that the events were being held at the same time, and we thought it was a natural fit to work with them on that particular weekend.”
Port Day will be centralizing some of the activities on Tyee Landing, the new boardwalk and parking area that was installed beside Fisherman’s Wharf last year. The new area, which will be the site of this year’s Salmon Festival, includes a fuel dock and a pier.
“It was really well-enjoyed by the public last year,” said McCormick of Port Day, which opened up PAPA-owned waterfront to the public with dozens of activities.
McCormick described the schedule this year as “jam-packed,” with a rail speeder shuttle along the waterfront, a children’s bouncy castle, various foods, kiteboarding, a Zumba class and free aquarium admission. The Port Authority will offer a variety of tours, including tours of Search and Rescue vehicles, the Alberni Harbour, Port Alberni Terminals and Canadian Alberni Engineering.
The festival will also be putting the focus on local youth musicians, with talents like Alberni Teens Can Rock, Harbour City Big Band and the local high school band putting on performances on Tyee Landing.
“There will be some surprises in the coming week that we hope will draw people,” he added.