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Fort William Historical Park
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Fort William Historical Park
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Fort William Historical Park
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Fort William Historical Park
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Fort William Historical Park
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Fort William Historic Park
By Marianne Bortolin
There is a reason Fort William Historical Park in Thunder Bay, Ontario is commonly known as Northern Ontario’s premiere entertainment park. It is a multi-faceted, world-class tourist attraction that caters to the young, young at heart and everyone in between!
Fort William Historical Park’s spacious amphitheatre nestled within a peaceful, natural environment alongside the tranquil Kaministiquia River provides an inviting setting for RV and tent camping. Discover the river that once served as a key voyageur route during the Canadian fur trade with their canoe and kayak rentals. On your paddle, stop and explore the hiking options at Wilderness Island. The diverse eco-system is home to all kinds of wildlife including deer, bald eagles, beaver, and many species of fish. You never know what you might see!
New for 2015, Fort William Historical Park is introducing RV rentals for your convenience. All you have to do is make a reservation, show up and enjoy! The beautiful northern summer nights and dark skies provide an amazing RV and tenting experience. Can’t get enough of summer camping? Neither can they, their camping season closes October 12th.
If you are visiting us during one of their summer events, enjoy the ease of front row accommodation and available amenities, such as souvenirs, water, firewood and ice at The Fort William Trading Post located in the Visitors Centre.
Summer at Fort William Historical Park is an exciting time filled with campers, concerts and events. As Northern Ontario summers are short, they capitalize on every opportunity to offer fun and unique experiences for everyone to enjoy. Since opening in the early 1970’s, the Fort has been a popular destination for Canada Day and the annual Canada Day Celebration. Folks of all ages flock to the Fort in their red and white to take advantage of the canoe rides, games and entertainment, historic dramas and activities, and most importantly, to feast on a slice of Canada’s giant birthday cake. It is a great way for the whole family to show off their Canadian spirit!
The annual Anishnawbe Keeshigun Aboriginal Festival takes places the first weekend in July and highlights the culture of the First Nations people with drumming, singing and dancing. Engage with local artisans as they demonstrate their skills or peruse the artisan village for one-of-a-kind items. Sample traditional fare such as wild rice, smoked fish and corn on the cob. Have a keen eye? Test your precision at the accuracy challenges. Anishnawbe Keeshigun is always a bright, cultural experience like none other.
Fort William Historical Park plays host to one of Northern Ontario’s largest summer festivals that draws thousands from across North America. July 17-18 is Fort Fest; a huge community celebration where people of all walks of life can lace up their dancing shoes, let their hair down and enjoy the beautiful 50,000 capacity amphitheatre. An impressive line-up of popular musical talents will surely get you rocking. It is a guaranteed good time and the perfect opportunity to camp out and party the night away.
While you are here, make sure to immerse yourself in award winning Fort William Historical Park, one of the largest living history sites in North America that recreates life in the Canadian fur trade. Mingle with characters from the year 1816 as they share personal stories and exhibit skills such as canoe building, blacksmithing and tinsmithing. You will feel as though you have stepped back in time as you walk among 42 historic buildings, meticulously reproduced based on archaeological evidence and extensive research.
Although the historic site is an absolute must-see, allow Fort William Historical Park to act as not only your gateway to the Canadian fur trade, but your gateway to the cosmos as well. Top the night off with a Star Walk at The David Thompson Astronomical Observatory, a state-of-the-art facility that boasts one of Central Canada’s largest telescopes. Named after one of Canada’s greatest explorers and cartographers, The David Thompson Astronomical Observatory is your personal portal to the galaxy. Cloudy night? Not to worry, Fort William Historical Park has you covered on the cloudiest of evenings as it works in collaboration with telescopes around the world to provide live images of the Universe.
Summer is a busy, exciting time at Fort William Historical Park and you are welcome to join in on the fun! Whether you want to relax and unwind, explore and adventure, or a little of each, Fort William Historical Park has something for everyone.