July 18, 2015
2596
The bunting is up, the plans are set, and only a couple of weeks remain until ‘All Roads Lead Home’ for the Ripley Reunion.
Slated for July 30 to Aug. 3, the reunion organizers are gearing up for a fantastic weekend full of events for the whole family. The central location will be the arena/baseball diamond area for the majority of the weekend, and there’s free admission to the grounds.
The event begins Thursday, July 30, when Reunion Central opens from 3-8 p.m. Registration is from 7-8 p.m. at the storefront, at 46 Queen St.
The Ambassador Competition and Civic Awards begin at 8 p.m. at the arena. Marley Martyn, Gregory Reid and Kirsten Walden will compete to be the Reunion’s Ambassador, and outstanding community champions will be honoured with Civic Awards. There will also be a fun game of Ripley Family Feud, featuring some recognizable faces, so you won’t want to miss this great night.
The Youth Dance, for which you can still purchase $10 tickets, will run from 8 p.m. to midnight upstairs at the arena, and feature DJ Austin Rees of Power Traxs.
The Reunion Golf Tournament is the first event Friday, July 31. If you couldn’t get a team in the sold-out golf tournament, drop into Reunion Central from noon-8 p.m. and then relive past school glories at the Back to School event from 1:30-3 p.m. at Ripley Huron Community School (RHCS). Registration will continue from 6-9:30 p.m. at Reunion Central.
The Ripley Legion will hold its chicken dinner from 4-7 p.m., which is a great lead-in to the inaugural performance of HAWK Theatre’s ‘Railroad to Ripley,’ a play written by Ripley’s Murray Yungblut and featuring loads of local talent. It will be held upstairs at the arena. Tickets are $10 each and can be purchased at Reunion Central, Ripley Variety and the Huron-Kinloss Township office.
The age of majority beer garden, located outdoors in the arena parking lot, will also open at 7 p.m. The entry fee is $20 and includes the kick-off dance featuring 'Blackwater Draw.' Tickets are available for pre-sale at Reunion Central, Ripley Variety, and the township office, or at the door. Dance wristbands have been sold out, but plenty of tickets are still available for Friday and Saturday nights.
Saturday, Aug. 1, kicks off with Back to School at RHCS from 9-11 a.m. Reunion Central is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed for parade), and registration is from 9-11:30 a.m. Don’t miss the sports display at Reunion Central on Saturday as well.
From 10-11 a.m., the John Borton Kids Show will be held at the ball diamond, leading into the Mammoth Parade which leaves the Sandy and Marg Pollock farm just east of Ripley (Conc. 8) and runs west on Queen Street to the arena. This will be one of the finest parades you’ll see, with some of Ontario’s top pipe and marching bands, family floats, heavy horses, kids and so much more. The Opening Ceremonies will follow the parade at the ball diamond, while the Lions Club will serve its famous beef-on-a-bun at its fall fair location from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
The Craz-E-Crew Stunt Team BMX Bike Show will begin its first of two high-flying shows behind the township office at 2 p.m., while the Pollock/MacDonald Reunion (beer garden), Figure Skating Club reunion, and banner raising (inside the arena) and the beer garden (featuring 'Moe’N the Lawn') will all begin at 2 p.m.
The Pollocks are congregating at the Ripley Reunion, Saturday, Aug. 1, for the first time in 60 years! You are invited if you are a descendant of John, Edward, Robert, or William Pollock, Letitia Osborne or Judith Fischer. Meet your cousins in the Beer Tent at 2 p.m. Relax and visit Find your name on the Pollock Tree posted across the street from Reunion Central. Bring information and photos to share. Contact Ruth Anne Robinson at 519-396-7621 or robindale@bmts.com, for more information.
At 3 p.m., Saturday, the traditional Tug-of-War will pit men’s, ladies' and mixed teams against each other in the ultimate feat of strength. It will be held behind the ball diamond and pre-registration is appreciated.
At 3:30 p.m., the Kids Road Hockey Tournament begins on the tennis court, while the Ripley Wolves Reunion and Alumni Mushball game begin at 4 p.m. in the beer garden and ball diamond. All current and former players, coaches, managers, executive and volunteers are invited to this reunion, which runs from 4-7 p.m.
The Shriners Fish Fry will be held from 4:30-7 p.m. in the arena (tickets are $15 each, available for pre-sale), which will lead into Saturday night’s dances. The Seniors Dance will feature Glen Boyd’s Orchestra and runs from 8 p.m.-midnight on the arena floor. There are no pre-sale tickets, so entry is $10 at the door. In the parking lot, Lulu’s Roadhouse Band will rock the town from 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Buses will run separate routes to Kinloss/Lucknow, Point Clark and Kincardine after the Saturday and Sunday night dances, so please don’t drink and drive!
Please note, the beer garden will be closed on Saturday and Sunday nights from 7-9 p.m. for cleaning and prepping for the dances.
Sunday, Aug. 2, Reunion Central opens from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. The Interdenominational Church Service will be held at the arena at 11 a.m. Guest speaker is Rev. Marian Raynard and guest soloist is Susan Ryman, with lunch to follow. Also at 11 a.m. is the outdoor volleyball tournament, which will be held east of the ball diamond. This is a co-ed event and pre-registration is encouraged.
At 1 p.m., the beer garden opens and will feature Frank MacLennan. At 2 p.m., Ripley’s Amazing Race will see 10 teams of four run around town (on foot) chasing clues. You must be 14-and-older and pre-registration is required.
At 3 p.m., championship (Las Vegas and Collingwood) Elvis impersonator Roy Leblanc will perform upstairs at the arena. Tickets are $10 each, available at Reunion Central, Ripley Variety and the township office. At 4 p.m. the Beer Garden Olympics will test competitors’ strength and wits in this age-of-majority event. Please note that all sports events on Sunday are timed so people can take part in all three so pre-register at ripleyreunion.ca.
The ham supper will be held at the arena from 4:30-7 p.m. and tickets can be pre-purchased for $15 each. This leads into the second and final showing of ‘Railroad to Ripley,’ at 7 p.m., upstairs at the arena. Tickets are $10 each.
Sunday night’s festivities are different this year than in reunions past. There will be no shirt-tail parade, but people are still encouraged to dress up in their finest for the age-of-majority dance at the beer garden. It is a free event and features 'Crazymaker,' but regular dance and alcohol purchasing rules apply (other than the dress code!).
The final day of Reunion 2015 will begin bright and early, Monday, Aug. 3, with Reunion Central opening from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. The Agricultural Society’s $5 breakfast sandwich will recharge weary celebrators from 10 a.m. to noon at the arena. The breakfast will provide fuel for competitors in the traditional bed races in downtown Ripley, starting at 1 p.m. Pre-registration is required and note the rules on what constitutes a proper ‘bed.’
At 3 p.m., ventriloquist Randy and Friends will bring more than 20 pals to this free, all-ages show, upstairs at the arena. The beer garden will also open with a $5 cover charge, and feature 'Left Turn Clyde' (3-7 p.m.) and the 'Brad James Band' from 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Please note, the beer garden will not be closed from 7-9 p.m. on Monday for cleaning.
The Beard Growing Contest will be held at 4 p.m. in the beer garden, so come and cheer on the men who have spent all of 2015 growing those glorious beards (and maybe buy their long-suffering wives/girlfriends a drink too!).
The reunion will be capped off with a stunning fireworks show over the ball diamond. Please leave your dogs at home!
Be sure to follow along with the reunion on Facebook, Twitter @Ripley2015 and Instagram @riplereunion, and use the hashtags #ripley2015 and #allroadsleadhome when you share your memories on social media.
The organizing committee still requires volunteers for its grounds/parking crews, so if you can help out, contact Sharon Martin at smartin@hurontel.on.ca or 519-395-4132. This is a great way to give back to the community on the weekend, and is also a good way for high school students to achieve their volunteer hours. Must be 18-and older.
For registration forms, the complete schedule, area accommodations, a list of our amazing sponsors and more, visit www.ripleyreunion.ca.
The ladies of 97 Huron St., Ripley, have worked hard to create this wonderful Ripley Reunion 2015 display; photo courtesy of the Ripley Reunion committee
Written ByLiz Dadson is the founder and editor of the Kincardine Record and has been in the news business since 1986.
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