Heritage In Unusual Places

Lower St. George St, Annapolis Royal (Barber Shop Down)

Heritage In Unusual Places is a new festival in Annapolis Royal which celebrates our heritage, but concentrating on things and places you do not normally think about for heritage.

In Annapolis Royal we have lots of history and heritage, you just have to drive down St. George Street to see that.

We have over 135 buildings that are Municipal Heritage Properties and several more that are Provincial Heritage Buildings plus the whole Lower St. George Street has been designated as a National Historic District.

Add to this our Fort Anne National Historic Site; The Sinclair Inn Museum; O'Dell House Museum; and the Historic Gardens plus just down the road you will find the Port Royal Habitation National Historic Site, Melanson Settlement Historic Site, the replica of the first Grist Mill in North America and the North Hills Museum. That is a lot of heritage in itself.

But what about articles and places not usually thought about when it comes to heritage? How about stories not told on a regular basis or almost forgotten about completely? What about events, both good and bad that has happened in our past that we do not think about any more? Isn't all of this part of our heritage?

Of course it is. All of these things have helped shape us into the community we are today, it is our heritage!

So the Annapolis Heritage Society, the Historical Association of Annapolis Royal, the Historic Gardens, Kings Theatre, Parks Canada, the Nova Scotia Communities Culture and Heritage and other interested citizens have join together for a new festival - "Heritage In Unusual Places".

This festival takes place in early June and takes in the whole weekend. There were so many different events happening during their first Heritage In Unusual Places Festival last year (2011) it was impossible to take them all in. It was a great time to meet some of the craftspeople, storytellers and other caretakers of our community’s unusual history.

I am going to tell you about some of the events held in last years Heritage In Unusual Places Festival; which will hopefully be held again in festivals to come. The presentations and displays may be different, and the walks and drives to different areas but hopefully the concept will be about the same.

Throughout the weekend there were several displays, demonstrations and workshops going on. For example you could learn how to properly get dressed in historic clothing, no easy task I ashore you. Or maybe you might be interested in the traditional technique of making wooden handles using a shaving horse and a draw knife. The children, and yes adults to might have been interested in taking in the Little Rays Reptile Zoo Presentation and learn about animals from all over the world and here in our own backyards. Another interesting demonstration was the Rug Hooking Demonstration that was presented at the O'Dell House Museum.

The Port Royal Habitation National Historic Site hosted a very interesting Wigwam Program with drumming, songs, games and legends inside a real wigwam. The Melanson Settlement Historic Site was host to a very informative Archaeological Adventure where you could ask the archaeologist questions.

Several businesses held open houses like the Annapolis Royal Boat Haul-Up, the Jon Gray Bespoke Handmade Shoes plus some museums like the North Hills Museum.

They held several informative walking tours and driving tours also during the weekend. During the tours there were several stops along the way telling the history of buildings, areas and local personalities. Many very interesting old legends and stories were told along these tours. Also held during the weekend was one of my favourite heritage tours - The Candlelight Graveyard Tour. and a guided tour of the Historic Gardens showing off their new interpretive signs.

Besides all this they held Games in the Gymnasium, BBQ's, Face Painting, Balloon Animals, Pie in the Face and Sucker Pulls for the young and the young at heart. Plus there was a book launch, a concert at Kings Theatre, and a Family Geo-Quest at the Historic Gardens, where they also had the Acadian House Bake Oven going cooking up period food for you to try.

Wow, what a weekend! So much going on, and this is still not a full list of events! This was the first year of Heritage in Unusual Places; just think what next year may bring. To find out the dates and schedule of events for this year make sure to check out the local papers or keep watch on The Annapolis Heritage Society Web Site.

This is a video I made showing much of the heritage in Annapolis Royal

Leave The Heritage In Unusual Places Page to Look At Other Great Arts & Cultural Festivals.

Or return to the Annapolis Valley Spring Events Page to see what else is happening in the Annapolis Valley