Festivals have been one of the things community members missed out on during the lengthy COVID-19 pandemic. Thankfully, as certain restrictions have eased, in-person festivals are permitted. The organizers of the Haig-Brown Festival couldn’t be happier to be welcoming the public back to the banks of the Campbell River to celebrate community and the legacy of the Haig-Brown family. “We are making sure that this year is really special,” explains Ken Blackburn who manages the Festival on behalf of the Museum at Campbell River. “There are tons of new features, and we have maintained important elements such as the City of Campbell River’s Stewardship Awards.”
The Festival takes place annually on Rivers Day, which is September 26 this year, and is held in the heritage gardens at the Haig-Brown House. There will be tours of Kingfisher Creek with Greenways Land Trust, guided tours of the Haig-Brown House, a talk on Indigenous environmental stewardship, live music, plein air painters, fish printing with Fisheries and Ocean Canada, a story walk and backyard games, an open-air writing circle, an artisan market, and more. A special event this year is the release of a new podcast produced by the Museum at Campbell River called “Taking Measure”. The podcast series will bring to life the writings of Roderick Haig-Brown in 12 parts through his book Measure of the Year and through the eyes and voices of his four children and others who knew him well.
Comox Valley singer songwriter Andrea Rose will be performing on the main stage of the festival, bringing her authentic and bold lyrics and alluring melodies that will pull you into an experience of your very own. To add to the festive spirit of the event, there will be buskers at different locations through the day.
Food will be available from the Pupuseria Las Gemelas food truck, which serves El Salvadoran dishes made of thick corn tortillas with a variety of fillings. Coffee and baked goods will also be available.
The Haig-Brown Festival runs from 11am to 3pm. Admission is free, and a Covid-19 safety plan is in place. More details can be found at www.haig-brown.bc.ca. Anyone with questions should contact Ken Blackburn at public.programs@crmuseum.ca.