Happy Canada Day and Happy Independence Day to all families and friends. Mother Nature provided perfect weather for both and every BBQ in the area was on the go! Of course the annual evening fireworks were appreciated near and far!
More Shout Outs!!!
How nice to start this article with few of very special Shout Outs. On Saturday, June 22, City Cruises out of Gananoque (formerly Gananoque Boat Lines) and the Island Queen (1000 Islands Cruises) tours out of Kingston, gave a special gift to an islander and and in return, we want to give them a big shout out!
Those of us who live in the Admiralty Islands know that the Boat Lines look forward to passing a tiny island called LaVignette. Why? Because the owner, Catherine VanSickle, makes it her "job" to salute each passing tour boat with a wave, perhaps a new hat, and certainly if the passengers are lucky a little dance on her bridge! She has done so for several decades.
On that Saturday in June, the Captains turned the tables. As they approached the island, they explained that Cathy was turning 99 years old the next day and each captain said he would truly appreciate it, if his passengers would sing a Happy Birthday to Cathy as they were going by! The passengers did just that and our Cathy expressed shock and was in awe . . .
So all readers, please join me in saluting Cathy VanSickle, these Captains, their crew and their passengers with a big Shout Out! Well done, all.
On Your Mark - Get Set - Go!
Mid-summer and we have event after event to meet old friends and make new ones . . .
Please check your favourite Events Calendar, on both sides of the River for full schedules as you will not want to miss many summer activities: Kingston, Gananoque, Brockville, Ogdensburg, Alexandria Bay, Clayton, and Cape Vincent.
![](https://thousandislandslife.com/content/images/2024/07/Screenshot-2024-07-07-130625.png)
- Canada: 1000 Islands History Museum - Summer Gala - July 18, 5-8 PM at Eagle Point Estate, 1000 Islands Parkway.
- Canadian: Thousand Islands Association Breakfast - Saturday July 20th at the 1000 Islands Playhouse. Registration opens at 8:00 am. Full Hot Breakfast & Social Starts at 8:30 am followed by the AGM and Guest Speaker, Scott MacCrimmon, at 10:00 am.
- USA: Thousand Islands Land Trust Annual Summer Gathering, Saturday, July 20, 6:00pm - 9:00pm. The Woodlands, Kingsley Residence, Zenda Road, Clayton, NY. Join us as we celebrate another year of conservation in the Thousand Islands!
- USA: Antique Boat Show - Join us to celebrate the 60th Annual Antique Boat Show & Auction in Clayton, August 2-4, 2024! Get your Boat Show & Auction tickets - book online now!
- USA: 56th Annual Decoy & Wildlife Art Show - Cerow Recreation Park Arena, Clayton NY, Friday, July 19 - 20, 2024.
- USA: Balloons in the Islands (All events are weather dependent) July 26th, 2024, 7 – 9 pm at Coyote Moon Vineyards, 17371 East Line Road, Clayton, NY, 13624 & July 27th, 2024, 2 – 7 pm at Zenda Farms Preserve, 38973 Zenda Rd, Clayton, NY, 13624.
- USA: Frederic Remington Museum: Join the fun at the 2nd annual Remington Reunion Celebration for the whole community during Ogdensburg's Seaway Festival! Wednesday, July 24, 5:00-7:00 pm. $50 per person.
- USA: "Paddle for Betterment" Alexandria Bay, July 27. Be sure to see their website for details by The Foundation for Community Betterment.
![](https://thousandislandslife.com/content/images/2024/07/451299680_10226239619122723_8798745030376072276_n.jpg)
Museums, Galleries and Theatres
We are blessed with superb entertainment opportunities on both sides of the border. Be sure to check out the schedules:
- USA: The Clayton Opera House: See the complete schedule on line.
- Canada: Thousand Islands Playhouse, See show schedule on line.
- Canada: 1000 Islands History Museum, Gananoque, ON, Museum is open from 10-6:00 daily.
- Canada: Thousand Islands Boat Museum, Gananoque, ON, Check out their website for events and programs.
- USA: Thousand Islands Arts Centre, Clayton. NY (with a unique exhibition from down under!) (See TI Life, May 2024 Changes in Latitudes)
- USA: Alexandria Bay Historical Society & Cornwall Bros. Store Museum, Alexandria Bay, NY. Victorian Tea at Casa Blanca Island, August 1, 2024.
![](https://thousandislandslife.com/content/images/2024/07/Winky-McGowan-1.jpeg)
![](https://thousandislandslife.com/content/images/2024/07/Winky-2.jpeg)
Support
And do you wish to assist TI Life by donating the price of a cup of coffee or a tank of gas? Support helps us with updating software and supports our mailing program. We don't need a lot - because we are all volunteers - but every bit helps. US residents: Support Link and Canadian residents: Support Link.
By Susan W. Smith, Editor, info@thousandislandslife.com
And as usual, the ‘culprits’ on the TI Life Team: Elspeth Naismith, our “Real Copy Editor;” Georgia Barker, Dane Zabriskie, and Rick Taylor are our proofreaders. With Jennifer Caddick, who handles social media; Dan Mathias, who posts events; Beth Lavos posts books; Marie-Anne Erki is our illustrator; and last, but absolutely not least, is Mike Cox, our IT Magician.
Header photo by John Street. John is here this summer and if we are lucky he will once again provide a photo essay like he did in September 2018 in "What I did on my summer vacation"
![](https://thousandislandslife.com/content/images/2024/07/Screenshot-2024-07-09-174936.png)
Mid-way through 2024 - do you have comments about our articles this year? Be sure to send them to info@thousandislandslife.com.
Posted in: Volume 19, Issue 7, July 2024, From the editor, Photos
Please click here if you are unable to post your comment.