The Past is Present Heritage, a Niagara-on-the-Lake Museum community festival, returns this year on the annual Civic Holiday, Monday, Aug. 7.
The event is all about tradition, history and community engagement, and will feature historic demonstrations, live music, food, the popular treasures sale and much more, says Amy Klassen, the museum’s marketing and finance director, and organizer of the event.
The event is free to the public, and includes admission to the museum galleries inside.
On site will be blacksmith Neil Blythin, the Niagara Handweavers and Spinners Guild, the St. Catharines Rug Hooking Guild, representatives from the Mackenzie Printery, a vintage display of firearms, and the Town of Lincoln’s Museum staff offering children’s activities.
As a special treat, museum volunteer Jan King-Watson will also be running one of her amazing Black History tours on the same day, starting at Voices of Freedom Park at 11 a.m.
Vendors for the day are artist Kathy Thomas with her heritage maps of Queenston and NOTL, Quixotic Minerals with rocks, minerals and fossils from around the world, as well as homemade preserves.
The museum will also have a bake sale and a wonderful selection of treasures, ephemera and used books for those interested in hunting down something vintage.
For lunch, PigOut will have a delicious pig roast available.
“We are thrilled to have live music throughout the day,” says Klassen. “An annual favourite, the Niagara Old Tyme Fiddlers will be performing from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and much-loved Niagara musicians Aaron Berger and Nathaniel Goold will be on from 1 to 3 p.m. There is definitely something for everyone.”
The Past is Present Heritage Festival, Monday, Aug. 7, is open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the NOTL Museum, 43 Castlereagh Street.
For more information, visit notlmuseum.ca or call the NOTL Museum at 905-468-3912.
The museum is open seven days a week, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
