Captain Kidd Days

In 2011, a new committee group was formed to organize the Captain Kidd Days event in Corunna. The event was started in 1986 by the Business Improvement Association. "It was originally located at the top of Ferry Dock Hill. Patti Deveraux, who had run the event for as long as we could remember, wasn’t able to continue anymore. Our good friend Matt Cook decided he would take it on. He contacted me and then we recruited Geoff," says Jeff Peters. The event had moved to the Corunna Athletic park prior to this committee taking over. "From the outset, we wanted to make sure everyone in the community could enjoy the event. We wanted to put the ‘Kidd’ back in Captain Kidd Days," says Geoff Dale.

The event today looks a lot different than it did in 2011, when it was only two days long. "We’ve made a concerted effort to grow a little each year. We didn’t make any huge changes, we want to be consistent and at the end of the day, it has to be sustainable," says Peters. That first year they featured a kid zone with three inflatables and some face painting. They also introduced a children’s entertainer on the main stage. "There are 8-10 people that sit on the organizing committee each year and over 100 that volunteer over the weekend. We’ve had a consistent group of myself, Jeff, Matt Cook, Nikki Morningstar, Mike Tyndall and Becky Mcnaule, and representatives from each of the participating organizations. This is a fun group to work with," adds Dale.

The legend says that a pirate buried a treasure somewhere in Corunna. Until they find the treasure, as with most community events, it wouldn’t be possible without sponsors. "We’ve been blessed to have so many sponsors jump on board right away. Community businesses, corporations and industry all play a role. We appreciate everyone’s support. It allows us to put on a great event and raise money for different organizations," says Peters. The event benefits Mooretown Minor Hockey, Mooretown Flags and Corunna Minor Ball. "We’ve also expanded the event over the last few years to include more groups in various aspects of the event. We accept food donations, for example. Not many people know that Corunna has two food banks and the donation, along with the exposure, help them out," adds Dale.

The four-day event features a movie on Thursday night and the longstanding tradition, the Miss Teen Corunna Pageant, on Friday. "The kid zone runs all weekend and is priced very reasonably. It’s $4 per child or $10 for a family, and that gives them access to everything. We had six inflatables, horse rides, face painting and Little Rays Reptiles last year," says Dale. The fireworks display has grown and is spectacular. They host a trio of tournaments including ball-hockey, two-pitch and volleyball. "The event also features live entertainment. Each year we have a packed line-up. Corunna is a small community but we have supportive people that want to make an impact," says Dale.