Canal Days set for July 7 and 8

Leather working at the 2006 Canal Days

The annual Canal Days festival is set for July 7 and 8 at Canal Park, Delphi.

All buildings at the park will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. On Sunday the day will begin with an open invitation from Calvary Fellowship Church to attend its outdoor service at 10 o'clock at Canal Park.

Talented craftsman and artisans will display and demonstrate pioneer skills such as blacksmithing, weaving, basket making, china painting, water coloring, crocheting and tatting, candle making, carving wooden toys and bowls, flintknapping and leather working. Visitors can also see a display of Indian artifacts.

Among the buildings to tour are a one-room log school house and the 1844 Reed Case House. To learn about how the canal was built and who built it, tour the Interpretive Museum. Many hands-on exhibits will attract the interest of visitors of all ages.

Children's games and pioneer activities will be offered throughout both days. Take time to shop for handmade crafts, pottery, paintings, books and plants at the Bowen Cabin Crafts Gift Shop.

Narrated towpath walks will be offered at 4 p.m. each day. Historian Mark Smith will also lead two walks related to the canal period. On July 7, he will narrate a walk along Front Street, with the library as the starting point. On July 8, he will conduct a walk around the city square, starting in front of the Antique Mall. Both walks will begin at 7 p.m.

Other offerings are horsedrawn carriage rides (Sunday only), pony cart rides and canal boat rides.

Period acting group

As a special treat on Saturday afternoon, several costumed performers from the historic Illinois and Michigan Canal Corridor west of Chicago will present a program at 1:30 p.m. in the Canal Center. Their presentation consists of monologues depicting ordinary people who made the canals a reality. Before and after the performance they will circulate among the visitors, adding to the canal-era atmosphere of the park village.

A variety of food will be offered at the park both days.