Upper Canada Village Heritage Festival July 1-4
The all new Upper Canada Heritage Festival set to run July 1st to 4th will allow visitors the chance to experience real 19th century entertainment, social engagements and amusements never before showcased at Upper Canada Village. Admission to the Festival is included in regular admission to Upper Canada Village or with your season pass.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE FESTIVAL INCLUDE:
• Circus Equestrian Show – The highlight of the Festival will be a twice-daily, daring spectacle of acrobats on horseback, dressage, a contortionist, a juggler and more, all part of a musical circus equestrian show by Luna Caballera from Quebec -- the 19th century was the golden age for this type of showmanship! Members of the Luna Caballera troupe together with other performers and Village carriages will kick off each day with a daily parade through the streets to the festival grounds.
• Music & Merriment – Daily performances by the Village’s Travelling Tiltons will be showcased along with a wandering fiddler and musical interludes by members of Luna Caballera throughout each day. A 19th century Barrel Organ has been purchased, which will give visitors a hands-on opportunity to create melodic music from the past.
• Magic & Illusion – An illusionist will amaze visitors with his slight of hand on both Saturday, July 3 and Sunday, July 4. Visitors can see first-hand the 19th century circus oddities in Diablo’s World of Wonders dime museum.
• Visitors are encouraged to get into the action of 19thcentury sportsmanship by taking on the defending Village champions in a boat rowing regatta on the Village canal, or by joining in a game of cricket coached by a professional from the past!
• Punch & Judy Puppet Shows – A colourful and artistically created, new period puppet theatre, produced in Quebec for the Village, with professional actors will put on shows of this classic 19th century play daily for children and adults alike.
• Visitors can stop in at the “Wedding House” and have their say on the details of the “big day”. Guests can also discover the customs and traditions of a “19th Century Wake”, and join in the excitement of a 19th Century Election … with John A. Macdonald himself in the crowd! Visitors can hear talks and dramatic presentations on 19th century fashion, the “Elizabeth Keckley Story (a first-person presentation of a black woman in the U.S. who rose from slavery to wait on the First Lady), and “Cooking for Entertainment in the 19th Century” (talk, sampling and book signing) by author and historian Dorothy Duncan. Peddlers and vendors will be on the grounds selling their wares.
• Heritage Vehicle Display – a number of vehicles from the Village collection will be on display in the Festival grounds.
• Children’s Games & Activities – There will be games and crafts under the colourful tents on the Festival grounds for families. Organized heritage games will also be a part of the festival’s schedule of activities each day.
• Heritage Dining: Pig Roast Picnic – In addition to a “Festival Special” at Cook’s Tavern, and lunch/afternoon tea at Willard’s Hotel throughout the four days, a Sunday afternoon Pig Roast Picnic will take place near the Festival grounds. Offered 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., the picnic will feature a buffet style luncheon including pork, salads and strawberry dessert with lemonade or iced tea. The cost is $15 per adult and $8 per child.
QUOTES
Jancis Sommerville, Special Events, Promotions & Sponsorship Officer – “This new Heritage Festival gives us the opportunity to really showcase the entertainment side of 19th century life. Acts such as the Luna Caballera musical equestrian show from Quebec are sure to delight today’s audiences just as they did in the 19th century.
The time period portrayed at Upper Canada Village was really the golden era for these types of shows and while this type of entertainment may not have visited small rural villages such as Village portrays, we are using the Village as a venue to showcase the type of activities that would have taken place certainly in Upper Canada but perhaps in larger centres.”
Bryan Mercer, Director of Marketing – “We recognize the need to add new events to our programming, keeping it fresh and vibrant for our visitors and to give them reasons to return multiple times in a season. Thanks to an investment of $75,000 in event funding from Celebrate Ontario, we are able to build and deliver this great new event that celebrates our region’s heritage. “
QUICK FACTS
• The Heritage Festival is included in the regular admission price to Upper Canada Village.
• Campers at the Parks of the St. Lawrence campgrounds can purchase Festival tickets at 40% off at the time of their campsite booking (details available online).
• The Heritage Festival is made possible in part through $75,000 in funding through Celebrate Ontario.
• The Passport to the Past is a season pass that provides for unlimited visits to Upper Canada Village for just $38.95 per adult (less than admission for two visits). Plus the pass includes free parking, offers 50% off admission to Fort Henry National Historic Site of Canada in Kingston, 20% off admission for two guests accompanying the passholder, 10% off meals at Willard’s Hotel and 10% off regular merchandise in the Village Store. The Passport can be used for all Upper Canada Village events throughout the season, including the new four-day Heritage Festival from July 1 to 4. A Premium Passport to the Past is also available including admission to Alight at Night.
• In 2009 the St. Lawrence Parks Commission (SLPC) saw increased in attendance at a number of its major special events giving a much-needed injection to total attendance numbers at the attractions. Combined attendance at Upper Canada Village and Fort Henry’s special events made up 40% of total visitor attendance to the SLPC’s two major tourism attractions – a clear indication of the importance of events to Ontario’s tourism product.
• The St. Lawrence Parks Commission, an agency of the Government of Ontario, operates facilities in 16 municipalities stretching from Kingston to the Quebec border, including Upper Canada Village, Fort Henry National Historic Site of Canada (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), Crysler Park Marina, Upper Canada Golf Course, Upper Canada Migratory Bird Sanctuary and 12 campgrounds and day-use areas including the Long Sault and 1000 Islands Parkways.
• Upper Canada Village is located at 13740 County Road 2, Morrisburg, approximately 30 minutes west of Cornwall, 90 minutes west of Montreal and northwest of Watertown, New York and 75 minutes southeast of Ottawa and west of Kingston, Exit 758 off Highway 401.
LEARN MORE
• Call 1-800-437-2233 (613-543-4328 locally) or visit www.uppercanadavillage.com to obtain more information. To order a free Upper Canada Village Visitor Guide, call 1-800-437 2233 (613-543-4328 locally)
Click here for information on other news and upcoming events in Cornwall and Seaway Valley.