15th Anniversary Bay Roberts Festival of Lights – 2012/13

We have designed a series of posters for the 15th Anniversary Festival of Lights in the town of Bay Roberts – November 28th, 2012 to January 6th, 2013.
This post has posters with information about events which are ongoing over the Festival. The next post will have information about single occurrence events.

15th Annual Festival of Lights

On Going Events

Christmas Park AND  Christmas Village.

Visitor Information Centre

International Nativity Set Collection – Dec 7th to Dec 15th

Neighbouring Community – Port de Grave Boat Lighting

Bay Roberts Holdin Ground Festival -July 23-27

Monday, July 23^rd

Model Boat Display The model boat display is continuing every week day from 1-4pm at SUF Lodge #82 on Patterson Street, across the street from the Bay Roberts Fire Hall.  Victoria Smith, Melissa Dawe, and Kalysha Snow from the Bay Roberts Cultural Foundation are guides and offer refreshments and entertainment.

Victoria Smith and Melissa Dawe at SUF Dawe Lodge #82 with Handcrafted Models in Background.

 Tuesday, July 24th

• The model boat display continues at the SUF Lodge from 1-4pm

• The Three Sisters – Traditional Newfoundland Musical Performances sponsored by the Bay Roberts Cultural Foundation.

The performances will be held near the Mad Rock Cafe or at the Three Sisters on fine days. (A sign will be placed near the Mad Rock Cafe telling where the performance will be.) On rainy days the performances will be held at the SUF Dawe Lodge #82 on Patterson Street, across the street from the Bay Roberts Fire Hall on Water Street.

Three Sisters with new telescope on the Shoreline Heritage Walking Trail.

• Family Campfire at the Community Gardens, Crossroads

Weekly campfire at the Community Gardens at the Crossroads takes place, rain or shine, at 7pm. In good weather, it will be at the gazebo; and if there is rain, it will be held in the cookhouse.

Family Campfire at the Community Gardens, Tuesdays at 7:30pm

• Every Tuesday Night, until August 21 – “How’s About A Time?” A Night of Newfoundland Comedy

Written by Nick Mercer and Kim Wiseman
FEATURING The Mad Rock Theatre Troupe, Directed by Michele Gosse Dove (Director of the Award Winning Avion Players of Gander)
Victoria LOL#3 Museum & Playhouse, Patterson Street, Bay Roberts
Starting at 8pm Tickets at the door: $15 Advance Tickets: 683-6377 or email: sroach@pigeoninlet.ca

How’s About a Time? – Out for a Smoke

Wednesday, July 25^th

• Thomas Amusements at the parking lot of the Bay Arena and Bay Roberts Mall.

• The Model Boat Display continues at the SUF Lodge on Patterson Street, across from the Bay Roberts Fire Hall from 1-4pm

• “The Haunting,”  A series of ghost and fairy stories enacted during a walk by the graveyards on Neck Road.

Starting at dusk in the parking lot of Dashing Schomberg, Loyal Orange Lodge No. 45, Neck Road, Coley’s Point. A series of ghost and fairy stories enacted during a walk by the graveyards. Music. Hot chocolate is served. Tickets: $5. Be scared!!

The Haunting – Ghost and Fairy Stories

Thursday, July 26^th

• Communities in Bloom Judges in town.

•  Thomas Amusements at the parking lot of the Bay Arena and Bay Roberts Mall.

• The Model Boat Display continues at the SUF Lodge on Patterson Street, across from the Bay Roberts Fire Hall from 1-4pm

• Walking Tour of Heritage Area from Cable Building National Historic Site to Site of Historic Fish Plants.

Includes tour of the Cable Building including the Road to Yesterday Museum and the Christopher Pratt Gallery, Cable Avenue Municipal Heritage Area, LOL Victoria #3 Museum and Playhouse, SUF Dawe Lodge #82, and the site of Historic Fish Plants on Water Street.

Lois Dawe, Tourism Officer, greets tour member in front of Cable Building.

• Victoria Loyal Orange Lodge #3 Museum and Playhouse

The Victoria Loyal Orange Lodge #3 is the oldest public building in Bay Roberts. Brenda and Jerry Mercer, whose families have historic roots in the town, have preserved the building and many of its historic contents. Open every Thursday from 2-5pm

Victoria LOL #3 Museum and Playhouse

• A Time in Pigeon Inlet

Experience a Traditional Newfoundland “Time” – Complete With Songs, Stories, Fiddle & Accordion Music, Soup Supper & an Old-Fashioned Square Dance.
Newfoundland & Labrador’s First “Tradition Bearer” – Kelly Russell; and his family “Russells in the Corner” Thursday Evenings 7:00 – 9:00, until Aug 16
The Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 32, 108 Water Street. From the Conception Bay Highway, turn right at the traffic lights near Jungle Jim’s, across the street from Powell’s Supermarket. Continue to 108 Water Street to the Royal Canadian Legion and the Veterans Quay Marina.
Admission at the Door – $15, Family & Group Discounts
“Soup Supper” $5 and Bar Service Available at Additional Cost

“Running the Goat” – Newfoundland Dance with Tonya Kearley

Friday, July 27^th

• Communities in Bloom Judges in town.

• Thomas Amusements at the parking lot of the Bay Arena and Bay Roberts Mall.

• The Model Boat Display continues at the SUF Lodge on Patterson Street, across from the Bay Roberts Fire Hall from 1-4pm

•  Toutons and Tunes” – Guided Hike with Musical Performance

Shoreline Heritage Walking Trail in Bay Roberts East. Hike starts from the Crane’s Hill Access Point to the Trail at 1:30pm. It includes description and music, and… toutons.

Mr. Herb Badcock tells stories to hikers.

The Morgan Brothers – “Glory Train”

The Morgan Brothers – “Glory Train”, originally uploaded by eracose.

The Morgan Brothers of Bay Roberts are amazing. Their version of “Glory Train” is second to none.  However, the contribution of the Morgan Family goes beyond gospel singing.  Boyd and Betty Morgan, their parents, are owners of Morgan’s Furniture on the Birch Hills in Bay Roberts, where people from many parts of the province shop for quality home furnishings. Boyd and Betty are also enthusiastic members to the very active Bluegrass and Old Time Country Music Group that meets the last Saturday of every month at the Bay Roberts Lions Club on Bareneed Road.

Last fall, Corey Morgan, along with two other teachers from the Amalgamated Academy in Bay Roberts, Catherine Downey and David Gill, won the Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence.

Prime Minister's Award for Teaching Excellence - l-r David Gill, Catherine Downey, Prime Minister Harper, and Corey Morgan

To quote from the Western Avalon Website:  “When this superhero teaching trio teams up, magic happens and Amalgamated Academy turns into the Amalgamated Media Production Company. Those taking in the action are quick to see that teaching to these three isn’t second nature – it is their nature. Local artist-in-residence, blogs, wikis and moodles, film and drama festivals, math contests and skills challenges – these three show students how to make it happen and feel empowered to show it off.”

And last but not least, every summer Corey is a star member of Baccalieu Players when they perform the Royal Shag Up Dinner Theatre in Brigus.  For anyone who has not attended this show, it is one of the outstanding summer events in the province.  Be sure to book early, because it is sold out for most performances.

Royal Shag Up Dinner Theatre in Brigus

As a final note, Corey Morgan is one of the most talented people in the province. However, he has chosen to make a real contribution to his home area. Thank you to Corey and his family, and others all across this province who each day make our communities exceptional places to live.

Pancake Day – Shrove Tuesday

Grandmother’s Wedding Ring for Pancake
Pancake Day is celebrated in Newfoundland on Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday, which is the beginning of Lent. The name shrove comes from the Christian custom of making confession of sin and receiving forgiveness, being shriven, on that day.

In many countries festivals are held on the last days before the beginning of lent. These include the Fastnacht in Germany and Carnivals in many places including the Mardi Gras, in New Orleans, Louisiana, the Carnival in Rio de Janeiro Brazil, and the Carnival in Trinidad.

During Lent it was the custom to fast, as Christ did for his forty days in the desert. Every person, including children, was expected to “give up” some food for Lent, especially sweets.

Following the tradition of their English ancestors, Newfoundlanders serve pancakes as the family meal for supper on Shrove Tuesday (in the past to use up the last of their eggs and butter before Lent.) The pancakes are served with molasses, which was brought back to Newfoundland from the West Indies Islands (along with rum) in exchange for fish.

As an additional treat, items were placed in the pancake batter before it is cooked to foretell the future for family members. When a person recieved a pancake with a certain item, everybody in the family knew what it meant.

If a boy received an item for a trade, it meant he would enter that trade. If a girl received the item for a trade, it meant she would marry a person from that trade.

Although today families usually concentrate on placing coins and perhaps a wedding ring in the pancakes, in the past the items included:

• A piece of string (representing a net)– a fisherman
• A piece of wood ( representing woodworking) — a carpenter
• A wedding ring (representing marriage)–the person would marry
• A button (representing bachelorhood) — the person would not marry
• A penny (representing poverty) — the person would be poor
• A dime (representing riches) — the person would be wealthy
• A nail (representing horseshoe)– a blacksmith

Pancake Recipe
2 egg
2 cups of flour
1 1/2 cups of milk
4 tbsp butter or margarine or shortening
2 tablespoons of sugar
6 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon of salt

Makes about 20 pancakes.

Beat egg until fluffy; beat in remaining ingredients just until smooth. Grease and heat frying pan.
Thoroughly clean items to be placed in pancakes. Spoon pancake batter into pan and place item in each pancake, until all items are used. Serve at least one pancake with an item to each family member.

Molasses Coady
2 cups of molasses
1/2 cup of water
3 tbsp butter or margarine

Boil ingredients together for about 10 minutes and pour over pancakes.

Bay Roberts Culture Days – 2011

Silk Stockings – Jacob’s Gift from Toronto, originally uploaded by eracose.

Our community of Bay Roberts will be participating in Culture Days again on September 30th, October 1st, and October 2nd. Many people and businesses in our area have come together to plan and pay for these events, so that they are completely FREE to people of the region. Tickets and information about all events can be found at the Bay Roberts Visitor Information Centre or by calling 683-6377 or 683-1195  (Hours are Monday-Friday 10-5, closed weekends for Fall.)

Jerry Mercer will be presenting his production of David French’s “Salt-Water Moon” at the Victoria LOL #3 Playhouse on Friday, September 30th and Saturday, October 1st.  The director is Marc Warren. Acacia Puddister is playing the role of Mary Mercer and he role of Jacob Mercer is being played by Bobby Hogan.

Friday night’s show is sponsored by RE/MAX East Coast Realty Ltd. –  786-2310 and Saturday night’s show is sponsored by Pam Norman, Exit Realty on the Rock – 683-8676. In addition, door prizes have been donated by “Inn By The Bay” in Dildo. – One night for two – Room and Dinner at Inn By The Bay Dining Room.(Value $315) and donated By “Klondyke Cottage” in Bay Roberts one night for two. (Value $149  )

Fresh Mussels
Saturday, October 1, 2011, starting at 2:30 PM, a Mussel Boil will be held at the Three Sisters on the Shoreline Heritage Walk with Traditional NL Music by David Fitzpatrick, including Madrock song. The Three Sisters is a beautiful pebble beach surrounded by cliffs, accessed by stairs from the road to MadRock. The beach is a popular site for weddings, picnics, the caplin scull, geocaching, and other family activities.

Sponsored by Ruth Brown of Clarke Real Estate, Bay Roberts  Drawing for one night for two donated by the Bumblebee Bed and Breakfast in Brigus (Value $119.00).

Fergus Geocache
Shoreline Heritage Walk Geocaching Weekend

Participants pick up “Cacheports” and drop them off at Bartlett’s Irving (next door to Shopper’s Drug Mart on the Conception Bay Highway.) Each cacheport contains GPS readings for 3 geocaches in Bay Roberts, one question and one sticker space for each geocache. The participants will find each geochache with an answer to the corresponding question, and place a sticker in the space. A drawing from the completed cacheports will made for the Prizes which will be two $40 gift certificates at the MadRock Cafe, sponsored by Baccalieu Consulting.

“Have You Even Seen…”

Rough-leaved Aster (Eurybia radula), originally uploaded by eracose.

Each season brings its gift of wildflowers and plants. The fall is especially beautiful. In addition to the changing colours of the leaves, a completely new crop of wildflowers comes into bloom including fireweed, asters, butter-and-eggs, and many others.
Fall is also the time for beautiful red dogberries which can be seen all over town. In local weather lore, a large number of dogberries predict a bad winter. Wild birds eat the dogberries, and residents make dogberry jam, jelly and wine in the fall.

BackRoad Dogberries

Wayne Chaulk of “Buddy Wasisname and the Other Fellers” described best all that nature offers us. The Gosse Family, performing during the Bay Roberts 60th Anniversary Summer in 2011, remind us of all that our natural environment offers, as well as the incredible musical talent that originates in Newfoundland and Labrador.
“Have you ever seen …” performed by The Gosse Family – Lewis, Michele and Sonya.

“Our Life on Lear’s Room”

Greta Hussey, 89 years old, originally uploaded by eracose.

Greta Hussey of Port de Grave reading from her book “Our Life on Lear’s Room, Labrador” at the Bay Roberts Visitor Information Centre. The book has been relaunched by Garry Cranford of Flanker Press, St. John’s.  The Conception Bay North Region, including Port de Grave, Bay Roberts, Harbour Grace, and Carbonear, has an important history with the Labrador Fishery.

 

“In the Fairies”

 

Following the Fairies in French’s Cove ? , originally uploaded by eracose.

Newfoundland is one of the places in the English-speaking world which is well-known for its stories of fairies. However, be warned – our fairies are more like Brothers Grimm’s Rumpelstiltskin than Disney’s Tinker Bell.  Although the tradition of believing in these supernatural beings is quickly dying, a number of tales about then still exist in the Baccalieu Trail area. Many people can still describe fairies, as well as tell stories of encounters with them.
In an area with such close ties with the sea, these short tales of the relationship of the people to the land seen strangely out-of-place. Yet, when daily life of the outport is considered, the woods and the barrens are inseparable elements of people’s existence, providing fire wood, building materials, berries, trout, rabbits, partridge, as well as hours of entertainment spent hiking, fishing, hunting, and camping. In these stories the affinity of the people for the outdoors is contrasted with their fears. It is possible to emotionally feel the eerie silence of being lost and alone on the barrens or in the woods.

With these photos on Flickr, I have attached fairly stories collected a number of years ago from students at Ascension Collegiate in Bay Roberts.

Fairy Light – Glowing Jade Green

Lost Girl from South River

Fairy Touched.

Culture Days 2010 in Bay Roberts

“Smokeroom on the Kyle” by Ted Russell, originally uploaded by unclemose.

Bay Roberts, like many communities in Newfoundland and Labrador, has always been subject to the whims and whallops of the Atlantic Ocean. We were very fortunate last weekend for two reasons. First – our town (unlike many communities along the eastern coastlines of our province) was spared the worst effects of Hurricane Igor. Second – we enjoyed a wonderful weekend with “Culture Days.”

While we cannot forget our friends and neighbours who have been subjected to such destruction and suffering, we want to acknowledge this weekend which celebrated a way of life which has always been dependent on the Atlantic Ocean.

Gus Menchions [95 years old] cuts Kyle cake with Sandra Roach of the Bay Roberts Cultural Foundation

More photos from Culture Days at the Amalgamated Academy on Flickr > >

Labrador Fishery Television Broadcast at the Amalgamated Academy

The first event was a celebration of the people from the community who participated in the Labrador Fishery. Principal Violet Parsons-Pack, her staff and the student body of the Amalgamated Academy took part in the presentation through their internal television broadcasting system.  David Gill, technology specialist, set up the production in the Resource Centre.  Students operated the cameras and teleprompter.

Program of Labrador Film Festival

• A reading each of the 17 verses of Ted Russell’s  “Smokeroom on the Kyle” by a student representative from each class.
• Showing of 4 Video interviews (approximately 10 minutes each)  with seniors who participated in the Labrador Fishery which were produced in 2009 by the Bay Roberts 50 Plus Club, students of Ascension Collegiate High School, and the Bay Roberts Cultural Foundation with funding by New Horizons Canada. The interviews were with Cecil Greenland of Coley’s Point (104 years old);  Emmie Roach of Coley’s Point (90 years old); Gus Menchions of Bay Robers (95 years old); and Ralph Greenland of Coley’s Point (80 years old.)
• Cutting the SS Kyle Culture Days Cake (prepared by Powell’s Supermarket) by Gus Menchions, special guest for the Film Festival and Sandra Roach, General Manager of the Bay Roberts Cultural Foundation.

Cooperation from Principal Violet Parsons-Pack, staff and students of the Amalgamated Academy was outstanding, especially since the school was closed for two days due to Igor.

Principal Violet Parsons-Pack and Corey Morgan, Performing Arts Teacher

“Salt-Water Moon” by David French

Robyn Brockerville as Mary Snow and Bobby Hogan as Jacob Mercer.

Jerry Mercer, who had produced “Salt-Water Moon” by David French for his summer theatre at the Victoria LOL#3 Museum and Playhouse, happily agreed to produce the show on  Friday and Saturday night for Culture Days.  The feeling at the show was unbelievable!!  “Salt-Water Moon” echos voices from our community’s past – from “charming tooth aches” to warding off “fairies” with  bread crusts to the evils “truck system” to traveling on the SS Kyle. It was as though the audience and actors were “one,” laughing out loud and crying together.

Marc Warren, Director and Jerry Mercer, Producer

More photos from “Saltwater Moon” on Flickr > >

Techniques of the Pigeon Inlet Quilters

“Mayor Glen Littlejohn – Pigeon Inlet Quilt and Community

On Saturday afternoon, the Pigeon Inlet Quilters met with interested members of the general public to discuss techniques of landscape quilting in general, and specifically the the subject matter of the Pigeon Inlet Quilt and how it was made.

Ready for questions about landscape quilting

More photos from the Pigeon Inlet Quilt on Flickr > >

Home Grown Theatrical Talent

Theatrical talent was shining in the Northern Avalon this summer. Cupids 400 and New World Theatre’s Indeavour Stage provided “once in a lifetime” entertainment, in which local performers participated. At the same time, community theatre which has been growing over the past decade in the towns of Brigus and Bay Roberts was thriving.

Bay Roberts had three separate successful shows. A Time in Pigeon Inlet, a Newfoundland “time,” featuring singing, instrumental music, storytelling and sketches (based on Ted Russell’s Tales from Pigeon Inlet) is in its third season. Salt-water Moon, a drama, was on stage at the Victoria LOL#3 Museum and Playhouse, the second year for a David French play produced by Jerry Mercer and directed by Marc Warren. And, for the first time, An Evening with the Gosse Family (which featuring singing,  instrumental music, and skits) was held at Lodge McKay.

In Brigus, The Royal Shag Up, a comedy with music, is in its 9^th sold out season.

What is Special About These Shows?

All four shows are first class productions with talented performers that have been enjoyed and praised by audiences from all over Canada. However, what is special is that each of these shows has a direct connection with the area.

Bay Roberts Shows

A Time in Pigeon Inlet, (pigeoninlet.ca) which features Newfoundland and Labrador’s first tradition bearer, Kelly Russell, and his family, is built around the stories of Kelly’s father, Newfoundland author Ted Russell, who was born on Coley’s Point.

The Cast of “A Time in Pigeon Inlet”
More photos from “A Time in Pigeon Inlet” > >

Salt-water Moon was written by David French, who was also born in Coley’s Point. David French moved to Toronto as a child when his father went upalong to work, but his plays are steeped in the history and mythology of this area of the province. Characters speak of the Bay Roberts Railway Station, the Klondyke, the Kyle, and the Labrador fishery.

“Salt-water Moon” by David French
More photos from “Salt-water Moon” > >
victoriamuseumplayhouse.com

An Evening with the Gosse Family featured the Gosse girls, Sonya and Michele, who grew up in Bay Roberts, and their Dad, Lewis, who was a teacher at Ascension Collegiate for years.
Ged Backmore, who was in the audience, was moved by the Gosse rendition of his composition, “The Sea.” in three part harmony.

More photos from “An Evening with the Gosse Family” > >

Brigus Show

The Royal Shag Up has been collectively written over the years by the Baccalieu Players, people from the local region who act, sing and dance in the show.

The Cast of “A Royal Shag Up”
More photos from “A Royal Shag Up” > >

“Salt-water Moon” FREE September 24th and 25th during Canadian Culture Days.

And as a bottom line, you have another opportunity to see “Salt-water Moon” for FREE at the Victoria LOL #3 Museum and Playhouse during Culture Days, September 24-25.  You will be amazed at how certain words and phrases jump to life because the play is in context.  Most people who have seen several different productions of the show say this one has a different twist which you will thoroughly enjoy.  Friday night’s show is being sponsored by Moores Andrews Collins Law Offices. Saturday night’s show is being sponsored by Ruth Brown of Clarke Real Estate, Pam Norman of Exit Realty, Churchill’s Home Hardware, and Harbour International.

Moon and stars in the sky.

Information about “Salt-water Moon” on the Culture Days Website > >