12 to 4 p.m.

John Galt Park (next to the River Run Centre)

 

Join us for a community celebration of Guelph’s founder, with free family fun including:

  musical entertainment including 'Music with Brian and Friends'

  children’s crafts and activities

  face painting

  canoe Hockey

 

Also available

  Guelph Junction Railway train rides ($5.50 to $6.50 each)

  refreshments and snacks

 

For more information call 519-763-3000.

 

The Civic Holiday Monday was renamed John Galt Day in Guelph, October 2006, following a recommendation by Gil Stelter and Peter Anderson, to honour Guelph's founder.

 

John Galt was a prominent Scottish novelist who was known throughout the world, and made Guelph a special and distinctive place. As the superintendent of The Canada Company, a large land company in London, he conceived the idea of building a town to stimulate and direct the agriculture settlement of the area. Galt planned the community with its distinctive radial design, quite different than the gridiron plan of most cities. The design has led to beautiful focal points such as St. Georges Square and views of the Church of Our Lady. Galt determined the cultural character of the early community by emphasizing the building of churches, a school and organizing an agricultural fair to promote the community's role in advancing local agriculture.

 

Kirking Ceremony

August 1, 2010, 10:30am at St. James the Apostle, 86 Glasgow Street North.

 

A “Kirking” is a Scottish ceremonial parade of dignitaries that recognizes public service of local leaders expresses hope for their wisdom and shows appreciation for their dedication to the local community. This ceremony was practiced in John Galt’s hometown in Scotland at the time of Guelph’s founding in 1827.


Click here for more information about John Galt.