This is the official Page for The Canadian Tire Welland Floatfest! Check out our new Website for volunteer opportunities and of course registration! It's nothing more than getting an inflatable tube, dinghy, or raft, and joining us at the Welland Recreational Canal to turn it into a lazy canal, while enjoying some great live music, vendors & company! LOCATION: Rotary Park - Lincoln Docks, Welland,
Ontario Take 406 to Main Street - Turn right on Main Street - Go down Main Street all the way to the Main Street Bridge (DO NOT CROSS) and turn left onto King Street - Come to Lincoln Street (Rexall on the corner) and turn right. Pass the McDonalds and the Wellness Centre on your left and cross the Lincoln Street Bridge. As soon as you cross, on your left-hand side, you will see the Park. All participants must enter at the main entrance to the Lincoln Street Docks. You won't be able to miss it. There will be people and signs. If you choose to put your floatie in the water at another location, THE DESIGNATED FLOATFEST AREA WILL BE BLOCKED OFF BY SECURITY BOATS. If you wish to participate, you will be asked to enter in the one MAIN ENTRANCE at Lincoln Street. PARKING: There will be no parking on site. There is paid parking on the other side of the canal by McDonalds. NO PARKING SIGNS will be posted in the lot across from the park. You will be ticketed if you park there. By parking anywhere other than our designated spots, you are accepting responsibility if you are ticketed. ALL PARKING IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. FLOATFEST WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE. If you cross over Prince Charles Drive (the major intersection) it becomes a Regional Rd. You can park on either side of the street. The streets to remember. KING, LINCOLN, PRINCE CHARLES and BROADWAY Those are in the main radius of parking.
*FLOATFEST WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGE TO VEHICLES, PARKING TICKETS OR ANYTHING RELATED TO PARKING YOUR VEHICLE*
THINGS NOT TO FORGET: Food donations for Hope Centre and Open Arms Mission. Remember, for every food donation you will receive a ticket for chance to win a prize. Food donations will be collected at the entrance. See Sarah Sauve and Brad Ulch as soon as you enter the park. Don't forget: Sunglasses, Hat, water shoes or sandals, sunscreen, money for food, vendors, Floatfest t-shirts, towel, life jacket for your children, blanket to sit and listen to music or chairs, change of warm clothes (keep in mind we don't have a change area so be prepared to layer your clothing)
IDENTIFICATION. If you are asked for ID, you need to be able to produce it.
*FLOATFEST WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGE OR STOLEN ITEMS*
INFLATABLES: This event is for inflatables only. No canoes or kayaks will be allowed into the designated park area or area of the canal for this festival. We will have an industrial sized inflation station on site to assist you with inflating your crafts. There will be no exceeding the inflatable weight maximum. We STRONGLY RECOMMEND you inflate on site for more room on shuttle and most importantly for safety reasons. SAFETY AND SECURITY: We have a full volunteer staffed event with security and safety on site. This will include Licensed Security as well as Niagara College Students, First Aid and CPR certified individuals and St Johns Ambulance in full force. We have gone to great lengths to ensure the safety of all participants. There will be NO PETS ALLOWED at this event. This is a Family Event and there will be NO ALCOHOL allowed in the park or on/in the water. The security will strongly enforce this. Anyone perceived to be intoxicated or causing a safety issue on the water, will be asked politely to leave the event and will be expected to do so. ALL bags will be checked at the entrance to the park. If you have alcohol, you will have the option to return it to your car or pour it out. This is an alcohol and drug free event. FIRST AID: St Johns Ambulance will be on site the entire event. In the case of illness or injury, you will go to the St Johns Ambulance Tent shown on the map. They are located at the bottom of the hill, next to the docks. Waivers must be signed to enter the water portion of this event and participants, once signed and registered will receive a wristband. For those that could not print a waiver, we will have extra at the registration desk. We ask that you keep that wristband on for the duration of the event. There will be 5 safety boats in the water. Each will be equipped with a Certified Driver, Lifeguard and Security. One boat will be stationed in front of the train bridge, another stationed after the Lincoln Street Bridge. There will be 4 clearly marked (with signs) Float Exit points for you to get out at any time you wish. All are within walking distance back to the park and equipped with volunteers to assist those exiting the water. Anyone leaving the designated area will be asked to forfeit their wrist bands to security and this will signal you are no longer part of the event. If you wish to resume, come back through registration and you will be assigned another wrist band. We prefer this not occur. Safety boats in emergency situations, will have the right of way. If you hear a horn, please accommodate them without endangering yourselves. If you hear a whistle, know that security is trying to get someone’s attention. Please do your best to yield to the safety boat in these cases. No whistles, horns or noise makers of any kind allowed in the floaties for safety reasons. Children under 16 MUST be accompanied by a parent and MUST wear a life jacket. There will be NO EXCEPTIONS. Anyone ages 16-18 MUST have the waiver signed by a parent and leave the parents phone number with the lead of registration. No anchor lines or tow ropes permitted in designated floating area for safety reasons. No splashing, jumping or disruptive behaviour that could endanger another floater will be allowed. FLOAT LAUNCH: Registration will take place between 10-12 We have full intentions to start the launch from the Lincoln Street Docks at 12pm or close to that time. We will enter the water in a safe way. Instructions will be given at that time by our MC for the day, Steve Szabo. The float will go from Lincoln Street Docks to just past the Lincoln Street Bridge. There is 2 exit points before you reach the final floating exit area (one on the left side of the canal in front of the Wellness Centre and one almost directly across on the right-hand side.) and 1 exit point near the security boat. You will see the exit signs on both sides of the canal. We stress, for your own safety, only exit at the designated areas. We will have a map at the registration area for you to view. We recommend you have water shoes or sandals with you as you will be walking back from any of those designated exit areas. Maximum 15-minute walk if you choose the longest exit point. We trust the wind will be coming from the south and it will all go as planned. Deflate your floaties and head back to the park or sit in the water and enjoy the bands close to the shore or browse the many wonderful vendors on site and of course have something to eat. All floaties must be out of the canal by 8pm We will begin clearing the water between 7-8pm. Security will need time before 830pm to ensure waterway is clear and clean. Latecomers are welcome. PRIZES: We have two prizes to give away. The first is for the Laziest Floater. How the team comes up with this depends on many different things we will be looking for. We will all give our pick and come to a decision together. The second prize will go to the most unique floater. We also have smaller prizes for 100th, 200th, 300th, 400th, 500th, 600th, 700th, 800th, 900th and 1000 floater that pre-registered. ENVIRONMENT: We ask everyone to respect our beautiful town, our event location and our recreational waterway by using the many garbage receptacles and recycling bins throughout the park and at every exit location. Let's leave our canal and our park the way we found it. Beautiful and Clean. Absolutely no glass or Styrofoam will be permitted in the park. Portable Bathrooms will be located just past the vendor area!!! Please use them. ONCE AGAIN, A BIG THANK YOU TO OUR MANY SPONSORS. A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR WELLAND FLOATFEST FOUNDING SPONSOR - CANADIAN TIRE WELLAND. AS WELL AS CANADIAN TIRE FINANCIAL SERVICES, AND THE CITY OF WELLAND.
