The Augusta Canal Discovery Center is hosting its second annual Canal Discovery Day this weekend.
The free community event celebrates and encourages locals to explore,l all the educational opportunities available at the Augusta Canal National Heritage Area. The day also commemorates the 20th anniversary of the Discovery Center itself, along with its Petersburg Boat Tours.
“We’re kind of pushing up a big fundraiser in that way,” said Julianna Shurtleff, who directs outreach management and the education program at the Discovery Center. “It’s saying, ‘Thank you for your support the last 20 years, please continue to support us the next 20 years.’”
The day’s schedule is packed with a wide range of activities and attractions: food, raffles, a petting zoo; children’s gardening activities coordinated by the Sacred Heart Cultural Center, games by the Curtis Baptist School; and musical performances by Rae’s Creek Revival and Caleb Aiken.
Other unique draws will include fishing lessons, complete with ethical angling techniques, from the International Gamefish Association and a performance by the Augusta Junior Players of an excerpt from the recent production “We Are Monsters.”
Before the COVID pandemic, the center held an event called CanalFEST every November. That yearly festival was forced to cancel for two years, and when time came to relaunch, the Discovery Center decided to start the refurbished fest in April to parallel with National Park Service Week.
“We wanted to bring that about as well, to support your local heritage area,” said Shurtleff. “We said, ‘Well, let’s start fresh.’”
While families are encouraged to come enjoy the activities free charge, the Petersburg Boat Tours—which include guided history presentations and opportunities to spot wildlife—will be available six times over the course of the day at a discounted $5 instead of the usual $14.
Last year’s inaugural event saw an estimated 1,000 visitors.
“We were very pleased with the first turnout,” said Shurtleff, who is knocking on wood for a similar crowd this year “The weather’s looking great for Saturday.”
Canal Discovery Day will start on April 15, at the Augusta Canal Discovery Center, 400 Blome Lane from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, visit www.augustacanal.com.
Skyler Q. Andrews is a staff reporter for The Augusta Press. Reach him at skyler@theaugustapress.com.
