Celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Collingwood Shipyards on September 11 and 12 at Collingwood Museum’s 10th annual Shipyard Social. Join the flag raising at 1 p.m. on Friday at the Collingwood Public Library. The original COLLSHIP flag in the Collingwood Museum’s artifact collection has been reproduced for the ceremony, and the new flag will be raised as a tribute to the Collingwood Shipyards’ 103-year operation in Collingwood There will be two screenings of The Last Launch: The Rise and Fall of Collship, a five-part docuseries created by local filmmaker Thomas Stubbington, at the Simcoe Street Theatre at *2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on September 11. *Former shipyard workers and their families are invited to attend the 2 p.m. screening that will follow the flag raising ceremony. To reserve seats for this special showing, contact museum staff at 705-445-4811 until September 10. The 7 p.m. screening is open to all community members, and all ticket proceeds will support the purchase of the Ursula Heller Photograph Collection. Tickets are $10 per person, plus a service fee, and can be purchased online at TicketScene. The Ursula Heller Photograph Collection includes 79 rolls of film and over 300 prints that offer rare glimpses into the Collingwood Shipyards in 1978. The Collingwood Museum has been accepting donations throughout 2026 to help bring this collection home. The celebration continues on Saturday, with the 10th annual Shipyard Social, celebrating the people, stories, and enduring legacy of the Collingwood Shipyards. The day begins with the popular Hard Hats on Hurontario march, departing Town Hall for the Collingwood Museum at 11:30 a.m. Shipyard workers are encouraged to bring their hard hats if they still have them. Community members are welcome to join in and can pick up a hard hat from museum staff beside Town Hall between 11 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. At noon, former shipyard employees are invited to gather at the Collingwood Museum for a special group photo. The celebration will continue throughout the afternoon with a community social on the museum grounds, featuring light snacks and a special anniversary cake.
