Saturday 13 March 2010 will be a blast of a day.  As part of the Battle of Kororareka celebrations, Russell Museum and John Osborne DDT, FSG Commandant NZACFRS Inc. will conduct live firings of four cannons from the Russell foreshore. 

Saturday 13 March 2010 will be a blast of a day.  As part of the Battle of Kororareka celebrations, Russell Museum and John Osborne DDT, FSG Commandant NZACFRS Inc. will conduct live firings of four cannons from the Russell foreshore. 

The first firing is scheduled for 11:00 am, with subsequent firings at 1:00 pm, 2:00 pm to signal the start of the Hone Heke run from Haratu to Maiki Hill and back, 3:00 pm when the sailing ship R. Tucker Thomson will fire back, and lastly 5.30 pm. 

Early Saturday morning four cannons will be positioned on the foreshore and people attending the Battle of Kororareka celebrations will have the unique opportunity to enter the draw to fire a cannon.  Tickets are free and will be available on the day.  February 1st saw hundreds of people come to the first live firing and those who won the opportunity to fire a cannon were ecstatic. 

Russell Museum and John Osborne invite everyone to come and participate in the firings as well as the Battle of Kororareka celebrations. The day will be an interactive participation in making history come alive.  It will also be the last time the four cannons will be together before being returned to their homes in Waimate and Spirits Bay, Northland.