qathet Museum & Archives
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Sea Fair


Sea Fair was Powell River’s beloved summer festival, spanning fifty-two years of the town’s history. The most recent Sea Fair took place in 2015, and a Sea Fair Parade was held in 2016, however, this event was isolated and the fair did not occur in this year.
 
The first Sea Fair held in Powell River took place on August 10, 1963. The event was put on by the local Rotary Club in the parking lot of the Westview harbour. The Sea Fair celebrations for this year included a parade from Alexander House (The Legion) down to the harbour, visits from Navy ships, a dance held at Willingdon Beach Arena, performances from Scottish dancers with the Powell River Pipe Band, and a salmon barbecue. An airshow organized by the Junior Chamber 'Jaycees' was planned to take place at the airport on the same weekend, however, the two events were combined and Royal Canadian Airforce Planes flew over the harbour instead for the Sea Fair Crowds. 

Since the initial Sea Fair, the event became a popular event for the community, taking place nearly every summer. In the years following, the spectacle that was the Sea Fair celebration only grew. The event began taking place over an entire weekend instead of a single day, and new elements were added such as midway rides, a treasure hunt, many more performances, vendors, swimming, sailing, and bathtub races, sports tournaments, and paper packing contests.

The Sea Fair festivities of 1976 were moved to Willingdon Beach from their former location at the harbour parking lot, a location that stuck for the decades to follow.
​
Sea Fair was an exciting event for the community to come together, and brought a sense of excitement and fun to the isolated region, even if it was only for one weekend each summer.


​
Picture
ID: ND027816 Sea Fair midway, 1975
Picture
Opening Hours
Tuesday to Saturday
10 am to 3 pm

Closed Statutory Holidays
Contact Us
604-485-2222
info@qathetmuseum.ca
​4790 Marine Avenue, Powell River BC

© 2023 qathet Museum & Archives
​Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of material on this website. Dates and times are subject to change. 
Territorial Acknowledgement 
The qathet Museum & Archives is located on the traditional territories of the Tla’amin Nation. The Museum is committed to collaborating with all Indigenous peoples of this province including the Tla'amin Nation. We acknowledge the harms of the past, are committed to improving relationships in the spirit of reconciliation, and we extend our appreciation for the opportunity to live and learn on this territory. ​Emote!
  • Exhibits
    • Current Exhibits
    • Forestry Building
    • Virtual Exhibits >
      • Riveting Women
      • Symphonies of the Sunshine Coast
      • Capturing Mountains
      • Story of Cedar
      • Powell River Firsts
      • Rod LeMay Collection
  • Collections
    • Objects
    • Archives >
      • Research Requests
      • Indexes & Finding Aids
      • Archival Descriptions
      • Powell River Digester
      • Phone Books & Directories
      • Good Citizen
      • Record of Military Service
    • Local History Books
  • Programs
    • Public Programs Calendar >
      • Little Wonders
      • Spring Speaker Series
      • Fall Speaker Series
      • Mini-Curators
      • Papermaking
      • Summer Camps
      • Museum In the Park
      • Archaeology Day
    • School Programs >
      • Exhibit Visits
      • Outreach Kits
      • Portal to the Past
      • Educator's Survey
    • Virtual Programs >
      • Virtual Portal To the Past
      • A Taste of qathet's History
      • The Crafty Corner
      • Dive Into the Archives
    • Tours
    • Memoirs
  • Learn
    • Indigenous History
    • Place Names
    • Forestry History
    • Memories of the Mill
    • Community History
    • Blast from the Past
    • The Coast Memoirs
    • Heritage Stops
    • Blog
  • Support
    • Gift Shop
    • Membership
    • Volunteer
    • Donate
    • Careers
  • About
    • COVID-19 Updates
    • Name Change
    • Our Mandate
    • News & Reports
    • Staff & Board
    • Contact Us