Migration Festival

Migration Festival

Kingsville Migration Festival - COVID-19 Update

The Kingsville Migration Festival Committee is moving forward with the 51st Annual Migration Festival, intending to adhere to all official guidelines. Please be advised masks are mandatory in all municipal buildings and social distancing guidelines will be strictly enforced, so please be patient with us during these times.

Please follow our Facebook page for regular updates to the Migration Festival.

PJs and Pancakes with Community Heroes – VIDEOS

With your pancakes by Toasted Meringue Bakery hot off the frying pan, enjoy these readings from our Community Heroes with a dose of fresh strawberries from Del Fresco and Mucci! When the sugar rush gets too much, have fun with the friendly paper airplane making competition kit included in the breakfast kit picked up on October 17. Our videos of our Community Heroes are immediately below. All our videos are close captioned so everyone can enjoy

Jennifer Clifford

Jennifer represents the social workers and health heroes who worked in the hospitals to supports patients and families during their time of need.

 

Kristyn Wright

Kristyn Wright represents the grocery store staff who made sure the community continued to have access to their basic needs.

 

Heather Brown

Heather Brown represents teachers who continued to educate children and are now going back into the schools.

 

Dennis Rogers

Dennis Rogers represents a community partner who provided Meals on Wheels to people unable to make food for themselves or go out into the community to shop.  He also provided free food boxes to families who needed extra help due to finances.

 

Lauren and Morgan De Yong

Lauren and Morgan De Yong represent the youth who have faced this experience with adaptability and resilience.

 

Who was Jack Miner?

 The Migration Festival celebrates the fall season, and a large part of the celebration is the great bird migration, where birds fly south for the winter. Kingsville is a well-known stopping point for many birds and is also the home of Jack Miner, the father of conservation, who dedicated his life’s work to ensuring these birds would always fly overhead.

Jack Miner was a hunter who knew the value of conservation of the natural environment and the wildlife. His efforts started the conservation movement and began the waterfowl refuge management system in Canada.

Jack was born in Westlake Ohio on April 10, 1865. Jack Miner settled on land in the former Township of Gosfield South, now the Town of Kingsville. The area is located in Essex County, surrounded on three sides by the Great Lakes and is a natural stop for many migratory birds. In 1909, Jack Miner began banding ducks, followed by Canada Geese in 1915, each with a bible verse. The bands allow the Sanctuary to gather details about migrating birds each season.

The Jack Miner Bird Sanctuary started in 1904 and continues its work to this day. Jack Miner's home and a museum dedicated to his work, as well as five kilometres of trails are open to the public free of charge.

                           

KINGSVILLE MIGRATION FESTIVAL 2020 EVENTS – October 17 and 18

NEW: “Pic”-Your-Pumpkin – October 17

Come by the Unico Centre’s parking lot to pick up your free pumpkin and pose in our perfectly poised picture booth with your pick of the crop!

Migration Festival Porch Parade – October 17 and 18

We are all doing our part to keep the community safe. This year our Migration Festival Parade will look a little different, but we can all still celebrate. Everyone is invited to participate in the Migration Festival Porch Parade!

Decorate your front porch, front yard or balcony and take a picture of it. Send it along to AM800.cklw.com for your chance to win a great community prize pack.  Entries must be submitted by midnight on October 16 to qualify.  Join the fun and decorate to celebrate Migration Festival in Kingsville. For a link directly to AM800’s Contest Page click here.

The Great Migration Paint-OUT – October 15 to 18

Starting on Thursday, October 15, watch for artists painting live throughout our community. 

The Migration Festival is hosting the Great Migration Paint Out, a plein air painting event where artists will set up a place outside to paint and the community can watch the artist’s work unfold.

The exhibition and sale of the paintings being held on Sunday October 18 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Grovedale Arts & Culture Centre, located at 103 Park St. Kingsville.  Gathering limits will apply

The public is encouraged to attend and see beautiful Kingsville captured on canvas. Be sure to not to miss the student art show at the Grovedale Arts & Culture Centre on October 18, you will be amazed at the talent!

If you are a visual artist, join us and capture Kingsville and its diversity on canvas, live under the sun.  Painting days are October 15 to 18.

For artists to register, please follow this link

PJs and Pancakes with Community Heroes – October 17

The 51st Annual Kingsville Migration Festival is bringing PJs and Pancakes with Community Heroes right to the comfort of your own home.

On Saturday, October 17, you can pick up a special free Breakfast Kit at one of our Migration Festival booths downtown from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Pick up locations will be:                               

Toasted Meringue Bakery - 6 Main St. W

Jack Miner Statue - 41 Division St. S

Inside the Breakfast Kit you will find:

- Pancake mix from Toasted Meringue Bakery and fresh strawberries from Del Fresco and Mucci

- All the supplies needed for a family friendly paper airplane making competition

- The links to watch the videos of storybook readings by our very own Kingsville Heroes, who have shown us over the last few months how a community comes together. Like our Facebook page to get upcoming posts of all our events.

All kits are free, but the Migration Festival is also accepting canned good or non-perishable items to be donated to the Kingsville Community Food Bank.

We can't wait to share Sunday morning breakfast with you!

Walk with your Flock – October 17

Grab your "flock" and join us exploring Downtown Kingsville as a part of the Migration Festival on Saturday October 17!

Make sure to stop by the Carnegie Visitor Centre, Migration Festival tent (at the Jack Miner Statue in from the O.P.P station), and the Unico Centre.  Watch for Honker the Jack Miner Mascot making appearances downtown between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m.

Wild Goose Chase

Don't miss your chance to participate in this exciting event.  As you walk with your flock, there are 30 or more geese located throughout downtown Kingsville and the surrounding area.  Pick up a 2020 Migration Festival Passport and follow the Goose Chase map to locate all the geese!

This is a great way to explore our area and visit with many of the local retailers. The passports also contain lots of information and colouring pages for children. Passports will be available at the Carnegie Marketplace, Unico Centre, Kingsville Arena, and our PJ and Pancake information booth located in front of the Jack Miner Statue on Division Road. 

Migration Festival Marketplace – October 17

The Marketplace takes place outside at Carnegie Hall October 17 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.  Come out and enjoy local vendors! There is lots of parking downtown so come out and enjoy this seasonal favourite. The Marketplace is free to get in.

We are at capacity for our vendors! Thank you so much to everyone who is participating.

Local Links and Accommodations

Please visit our Business Directory for a full list of local links and accommodations.

Migration Fest Committee 

For all media or sponsorship inquiries please contact Maggie Durocher at 519-733-2123 or by email at mdurocher@kingsville.ca

We thank all our volunteers and community supporters! Without you, this event would not be possible.

Councilor Laura Lucier

Sue Girardin

Michele Law

Robyn Braybrook-Gard

Alison Araujo

Matt Kraus

Stephanie Allen Santos

Shelby Wye

Diane-Marie Swiderski

Marcy Fogal