The Maitland Launch Festival is a commemorative celebration of the launch of the great ship, William D. Lawrence, the largest square-rigged wooden vessel ever built in Canada!

The original launch took place on October 27, 1874 and was attended by over 4000 people drawn from far and wide, many of whom came to witness the ship capsize and sink, believing the ship to be too large to float. But float she did, and the William D. Lawrence became Mr. Lawrence's most successful ship ever built.

This year’s special attraction is the Nova Scotia Guild of Town Criers’ Provincial Competition. Launch Day will include:

• a non-motorized Victorian parade through the village, starting at 10:30 am near the entrance to Riverview Herbs;
• the launch of the replica William D. Lawrence at 11:15 am on the shore across from the Lawrence House Museum;
• a youth town crier event at 1:00 pm at the Lawrence House Museum;
• the Nova Scotia Guild of Town Criers’ Provincial Competition at 2:00 pm, also at the Museum;
• and whisky barrel races at 3:30 pm in Dawson Dowell Park.

Registration for whisky barrel races can be done by emailing hightides@hightidescentre.ca. The teams will be composed of two people; the registration fee is $10 per team and you can pay on race-day!