In addition to shopping, eating and parade watching, Canal Days is often a time for reminiscing with friends and family coming home to Cambridge City for the weekend.
The theme for this year’s festival, which takes place Saturday, Sept. 9, and Sunday, Sept. 10, is “A Walk Through Time.” Floats created for the 2 p.m. Sunday parade along U.S. 40 are encouraged to follow that theme.
Another example of those reconnections is a reunion performance by The Chicago Sunn from 1-2 p.m. Saturday behind the fire station, 127 W. Maple St.
After member Tom Fowler posted a vintage photo of the band on a local Facebook page, the idea developed to get as many members as possible together 55 years later for one show. Their last gig was at Dublin’s skating rink in 1968.
In addition to the music behind the fire station, Cambridge City Volunteer Fire Department offers a hog roast on site starting at noon Saturday. Hamburgers, hot dogs and French fries also will be available while supplies last. Regardless of whether they eat lunch there, kids are invited to touch a fire truck and learn more about first responders from noon-2 p.m.
Several additional organizations are offering food and music for the public throughout the weekend.
American Legion Post 169 will be the source of many of those tunes. AJ Wetzel and Scott Ross perform from 8 p.m. Friday until midnight, with no cover charge. Sean Lamb Janet Miller Band entertain at 9 p.m. Saturday for a $5 cover. The Legion also offers a $5 breakfast from 7-11 a.m. Saturday and food from noon-6 p.m. Sunday.
The community choir will perform at 2 p.m. Saturday at First United Methodist Church, 238 W. Main St., where ice cream and pies can be purchased from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Street vendors will offer arts, crafts, food and games from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Those who want to take a break from wandering can find seating just off U.S. 40 and listen to tunes from Special Request DJ Charlie Bertsch from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday.
Canal Days offers an opportunity to recognize special residents. Grand Marshal Bill Tyler, known for many years of coaching and playing Santa Claus, will be celebrated during the parade.
Queen contestants Katie Osborne, Alivia Anderson, Elliot Jones, Delilah Raines and Paige Robinson will be crowned at halftime of Friday’s Lincoln-Northeastern football game. A meet-and-greet with royalty is planned at 1 p.m. Saturday at the gazebo on U.S. 40. In addition, a boy and girl will be crowned as junior king and queen for collecting the most non-perishable food items.
New Day Kiwanis’ car show will take place at Creitz Park on North Foote Street, starting at 8 a.m. Sunday. Awards will be given at 1 p.m. It’s free for spectators and $15 per vehicle.
Festival organizer Cambridge City Chamber of Commerce will sell tickets at its tent for $3 or two for $5 for the rubber duck race. The race concludes the festival at 4 p.m. Sunday at Creitz Park’s swinging bridge. The top prize is $400.
More information is available at cambridgecityindiana.org.
A version of this article appeared in the September 6 2023 print edition of the Western Wayne News.