This year's Canada Day celebrations in Kincardine will include a tribute to a treasured custom.
A ceremony honouring the unveiling of a new plaque depicting the "Kincardine Lighthouse and the Phantom Piper" will take place at the Kincardine Lighthouse at the intersection of Harbour Street and Huron Terrace on Saturday, July 1, at 2 o'clock.
In addition to remarks from Mayor Kenneth Craig and Keith Davidson, the occasion will also feature a special afternoon performance by the Phantom Piper and the presentation of the new plaque installation. The new plaque is situated just far enough south on the Huron Terrace bridge to allow guests to learn about the history while still getting a great view of the lighthouse.
At the north end of the same bridge, there's a bronze plaque set on a shore stone which bears the Donald Sinclair legend. According to legend, Donald Sinclair and his family were aboard a ship from Goderich that got lost in a storm as it neared Kincardine. It is said Sinclair piped a lament from the deck of the ship, and it was answered by another piper on land.
In 2022, Davidson proposed the Phantom Piper plaque to the Municipality of Kincardine Council in an effort to honour Eldon Humphreys. Humphreys proposed the idea after witnessing a related ceremony in Key West, Florida. He predicted the Phantom Piper would become a popular tourist destination because of the Lighthouse, pipe band, and stunning sunsets.
The 2023 Phantom Piper season opens on July 2 and runs through every evening, except Saturdays, at a time shortly before dusk.