Festival to celebrate canal area

The Augusta Canal Authority will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the creation of the Canal National Heritage Area with a festival and bridge dedication from 1 to 5 p.m. today at the Canal Headgates area near Savannah Rapids Pavilion.

The event, which will include a 1:30 p.m. ceremony in which the first boat will pass through the newly restored 1875 locks, coincides with President Clinton's Nov. 12, 1996, signing of legislation that created the National Heritage Area program nationwide.

The new pedestrian and bicycle bridge over the canal at Reed Creek will be dedicated and formally opened at 3 p.m., and food, music and dancing will be available.

The Canal Authority also will offer free mini-tours of the upper canal area aboard the Petersburg tour boats that normally sail from the Canal Interpretive Center at Enterprise Mill in downtown Augusta.