The 36th annual Walnutport Canal Festival has added new vendors and fresh activities to the over-three-decade tradition on Saturday and Sunday.

According to Canal Festival Committee Chair Jean Boehrer, it takes over six months to plan the event with the final push taking place in the last two weeks leading up to the third Sunday festivities."It's a major fundraiser for the canal association," she said.According to Boehrer, funds will be used for the maintenance of the canal system, buildings and surrounding grounds.Starting on Main Street and extending to South Canal and Lehigh streets, the Sunday festival will take over the Lehigh Canal section of the borough starting at noon.The free admission event will include music, food, history and handcrafting vendors spread through the three-street square.Big Valley Blue Grass Band will kick off the Sunday afternoon on the main stage on South Canal Street. Matthew Dodd will sing canal songs and Al Grout will perform in the Kids Corral Area starting at 1 p.m., before roaming and delighting the crowd at 2 p.m. The Jolly Tars finish up the afternoon.The previously single- day festival has grown in popularity and extended into Saturday with a doubleheader race, one on land and one on water."We expanded this year. It's our 13th trot, but it's the first time for the kayak race," Boehrer said.The $25 registration begins at 8 a.m. for both the annual trot and fun run. The fun run, traditionally for children 13 and under, starts at 9 a.m., with the 6K runners on their mark by 9:30 a.m. The top three finishing athletes will be recognized in the pavilion.The annual head-to-head kayak race will follow the trot at 1 p.m., with paddlers on the Lock No. 21 starting line. A registration fee of $20 is required and participants must provide a kayak, paddle and life vest.The quarter-mile dash is a timed race with first place taking home $100, second place $50 and third place will win $25.For Sunday's festivities, attendees will be able to park the two wheels in a surveilled bike parking lot on Main and South Canal streets.Foot traffic will be the only form of transportation accepted through the blocked off streets during the festival.According to festival committee member Greg Soltis, this year attendees can expect "a lot of free music, great food and a lot of animals."A straw maze has been constructed on the trail for children to navigate. Soltis said 30 bales of hay and was a three-man operation that took over a day to construct.More than 13 food vendors will line the block, including both Walnutport and Slatington Boy Scout Troops who will dish out halupkis, ice cream and made-on-site apple cobbler. Walnutport's own Girl Scout Troop will melt marshmallows to sell s'mores while Northern Lehigh Community Center returns with made-from-scratch mac and cheese.Folks will also have the chance to pursue 25 handcrafting vendors selling jewelry, soaps and wreaths all locally made.The annual basket raffle drawing is scheduled to be one of the last afternoon activities scheduled for 4:30 p.m."We hope people will come and join us for a fun day of food, music. We are inviting people to come and enjoy the day with us," said Boehrer.With fall weather tending to be unpredictable, the festival's rain date is Oct. 23. Race Day is rain or shine for both land and water events.For cancellation information, visit

walnutportcanalassociation.tripod.com or the Walnutport Canal Association Facebook page for festival details.