Looking back at last weekend's Lumberjack Days (10 photos)

Some 1,500 visitors came to Mississagi Provincial Park off Highway 639 north of Elliot Lake for the annual Lumberjack Days.

They started arriving for the weekend, family-centred outdoor festival on Friday, Aug. 3, and it soon became evident to park officials they needed to open up extra camping sites to accommodate the weekend crowd. 

Mississagi Provincial Park supervisor Sarah Daigle told ElliotLakeToday the campground was completely full. 

It was the fifth annual Lumberjack Days at Mississagi since the rustic festival returned there in 2014. Most of Saturday's events focused on children's competitions including the water bucket challenge, trapper's challenge, face-painting, watermelon-eating, wood toss, Velcro axe throw and a photo booth. Each child who participated won a prize. 

On Saturday, there were also adult canoe races and log burling activities.

Sunday was the adult competition in a number of events. 

In team events, the Prestige Glass Cup was won by Hamner's Woodpeckers Team. In second place was Elliot Lake's Weir Green Team. Third was Elliot Lake's The Smoke Show. Fourth was PTK Construction and fifth was OK Tire, both also of Elliot Lake. Events included the pulp toss, nail-driving, chainsaw, axe-throw and two-person buck saw cross cut.

In individual events on Sunday, Rob Green and Adam Greor were first in the canoe race. 30cc chainsaw winners were first place John Green followed by Myles Hussey and Mike Tasse. In the 40cc chainsaw event, the winner was John Green (again), then Adam Greor and Guy Lapierre.

The Pulp Toss for women went to Zoe Fabris while Emilie Legault took second place and Charlotte Martin McCaffrey finished third.

The log-burling champion was Keegan Pickette, second was Jason Churrette and third Lapierre. Axe throwing first place honours went to Stephane Legault, second was Churrette and third went to Lapierre.

In two-men cross cut, the champs were Braeden Antoine and Dolton Critch, second place went to Paul Tasse and Mike Tasse and in third place were Rob Green and Myles Hussey. In nail driving for men first went to Paul Tasse, second was Legault and third place went to Mike Tasse.

Weekend entertainers at Lumberjack Days included Blind River chainsaw wood carver Andre Dore who carved logs into bears, eagles and other creatures. He's been enjoying his craft for more a decade. On Sunday, Eric the Juggler tossed various items including hackie sacks, pins, knives and even chainsaws. Friday and Saturday weather conditions were perfect for all the Lumberjack Day activities. Sundays daytime sun was perfect and the trophies were all handed out before the clouds opened up and delivered heavy rain.