Who We Are

The Sydenham Sportsmen's Association is a conservation organization and Outdoors Club. We run 2 community fish hatcheries through all volunteers. We stock well over 160,000 salmonids each year for all members of the community to enjoy.  We continuously raise money for the ongoing conservation programs such as fishing stocking, tree planting, and pond rehabilitation for wildlife, stream improvement, bird box building and the school hatchery program.

We have been raising funds for conservation through the Owen Sound Salmon Spectacular for over 35 years. In 2023 our event took place from Friday August 25 to Sunday September 3, 2023.  This 10 day event attracts well over 58,000 people.

About The Salmon Spectacular

The Owen Sound Salmon Spectacular has over $175,000 in prizes. With entertainment each afternoon, night and 2 gigantic fish fries, ladies’ afternoon, senior’s afternoon, kid’s day, breakfast with Santa, and kids fishing pond educating people with birds of prey demonstrations, reptilian demonstrations and endangered species all ages enjoy the 10 day festival.

 
The biggest festival in the Georgian Bay area we celebrate the last 2 weeks of the summer coming to an end with fishing, family and tonnes of fun. It takes a lot of engineering to erect the gigantic Tent 300 feet long by 100 feet wide. We have 50 volunteers and 4 tractors to complete this task. We have well over 260 businesses in the Owen Sound and surrounding area participating over the 10 day event. The economic impact for Owen Sound area is overwhelming and brings in 2.8 million dollars in our community for the 10 day event. The small community of 21000 people balloons with an additional 58,000 people to enjoy the event. Come out and celebrate and educate yourself with the Owen Sound Salmon Spectacular Festival.  Support the fund raising efforts for the many conservation programs we complete each year. 

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Why We Do This

The initiative of this event is not only to raise money for conservation, but to bring young, old; men and women back into nature and enjoy the pleasures of catching a big fish. We bring a lot of smiles to the 58,000 people that take part in our event.

 

All 36 members of our committee and 550 volunteers to run this event are 100% non-paid and giving their valuable time to raise much needed funds each year to run our fish hatchery and our ongoing conservation projects.  All funds raised goes directly back into our wide range of conservation programs to educate kids and adults in our community to plant tree, build bird box, bat boxes, help with the school hatchery programs in 5 local elementary schools and raising fish in our fish hatchery. The Sydenham Sportsmen’s Association stock well over 200,000 Salmon, Rainbow and Brown Trout into Georgian Bay for everyone to enjoy. 

 
The cost to keep the hatchery and conservation programs are well over $80,000 each year. From start to finish this unwavering event continues to show each year with strong support of all our dignitaries and sponsors how valuable we are to the community and surrounding area.
 
Equally important are our excellent shooting facilities.  We promote the legal and safe use of firearms.

Thanking You, Our Community

The 35th Annual Owen Sound Salmon Spectacular is already in our memories for another year.  We can’t thank you enough for your support and commitment to the Owen Sound Salmon Spectacular that helps fund the Sydenham Sportsmen's Association conservation and fish stocking programs each year.

We feel 35 years of our commitment through the Owen Sound Salmon Spectacular shows a true dedication toward you and your company. 

  • 2 Million people through the festival
  • 86,000 pounds of fish fried at our 2 Huge Fish Fries
  • 180,000 anglers over the 35 years
  • 8,500 fish caught over the 35 year event
  • 2.6 Million volunteer hours will have been completed over the 35 year event
  • We have given 120 boats away over the 35 years
  • 5.9 million dollars in prizes over the 35 years
  • Over 1230 outdoor shows we have been promoting our event