Revelstoke Heritage Celebration Week starts on May long weekend

Mark your calendars for Revelstoke Heritage Celebration Week starting on the May long weekend this year.

Community groups have worked together to organize a number of fun, informative activities throughout the week.

Here’s a Tourism Revelstoke video promoting the Revelstoke Heritage Celebration Week:

In 2015 community groups partnered to host this celebration of our community heritage in September to expand fall shoulder season tourism activities.

For 2016, the celebration has been shifted to the spring tourism shoulder season based on two unique opportunities – the Forest Workers Society is bringing back the popular professional logging sports competitions and the Museum and Archives is hosting the annual BC Historical Federation Conference with many activities for community members to attend.

Photo: Aaron Orlando/Revelstoke Mountaineer

Everyone can participate in the conference; you do not have to be a member of a historical association to attend. Visit BCHistory for more information and to register for all or part of the conference.

This is a dynamic celebration with activities still being planned – check the Heritage Celebration Week webpage for the most up-to-date information.

The current schedule of events includes:

May 20 – BC Interior Forestry Museum hosts an evening of fun and learning with demonstrations of horse logging and historical logging sports; a BBQ and bonfire; kids activities and tours of the historical displays.

Dan Boltwood’s demonstrated horse logging techniques at the B.C. Interior Forestry Museum on Sept. 11, 2015 at an open house kicking off Revelstoke Heritage Weekend. Photo: Aaron Oralndo/Revelstoke Mountaineer

May 21 – Forest Workers Society hosts Timber Day, starting with the loggers breakfast and logging sports demonstrations downtown, then Centennial Park is the place to be for the berry bake-off, pie gobble, professional and local logging sports competitions, information displays, refreshment tent and kids activities – with live music through dinner on-site.

Here, Nadine Overwater and Pat McMechan give log birling go at the 2015 Timber Days. Photo: Aaron Orlando/Revelstoke Mountaineer

May 23 (3 p.m.) – Roxy Theatre and Revelstoke Museum and Archives shows Silent Barriers, a 1937 movie filmed between Revelstoke and 3 Valley Gap about the construction of the CPR line.

May 25 (7 p.m.)  The Banff Wardens play at the Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre. (www.banffwardens.com)

May 26 – Revelstoke Museum and Archives hosts the opening reception of the Revelstoke Revisited conference, where participants will see stunning recent exhibits, including Land of Thundering Snow, First Tracks, and Sinixt – People of the Bull Trout.

Vocalist Jacolyn Daniluck and pianist Lyda Carey will take you back to the age of the crooners, and Gray Monk Winery will provide a taste of the Okanagan.

May 27 – The keynote conference address will be delivered at Revelstoke’s beautiful Performing Arts Centre by noted B.C. scientist Dr. John Woods.

Dr. John Woods introduces Land of Thundering Snow – Canada’s first virtual avalanche exhibit at a special presentation at Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre on March 4, 2015. Photo: Aaron Orlando/Revelstoke Mountaineer

He will present the stories that he uncovered as head researcher and writer for Land of Thundering Snow, a website on the Virtual Museum of Canada that was created by Revelstoke Museum and Archives and partners.

Cathy English, curator of Revelstoke Museum and Archives, will present a lively talk on “The Romance of the Big Bend,” weaving tales of tragedy, triumph, and encounters with the wild in the mineral-rich area north of Revelstoke and introduce participants to Revelstoke’s incredible ski history.

Four afternoon tour options to see Revelstoke up close and personal include a bus tour to Rogers Pass National Historic site in Glacier National Park; a bus tour to Revelstoke Dam, B.C. Interior Forestry Museum, and Revelstoke Visual Arts Centre; a walking tour of the Revelstoke River Trail; and a walking tour of Revelstoke’s historic downtown.

Another view of the new sculpture commemorating ski jumping in Mount Revelstoke National Park. Photo: Aaron Orlando/Revelstoke Mountaineer file photoe

May 28 – In the morning, visit the historic Nels Nelsen ski area on Mount Revelstoke and put yourself in the shoes, or should we say, skis, of the world-class ski jumpers who once sought fame on the hill.

Nels Nelsen is Revelstoke’s ski hero. He was a world champion ski-jumper in the 1920s, and inventer of vorlage, or the forward lean. Nelson put Revelstoke on the map as a ski-jumping destination. Photo: Revelstoke Museum & Archives

The Federation will dedicate their stunning monument to noted B.C. explorer and surveyor Walter Moberly at Revelstoke Railway Museum, followed by a reception featuring Mt. Begbie Brewing Company beer and rollicking Revelstoke entertainment from local thespians.

The conference weekend will culminate in a sumptuous banquet at Revelation Lodge at Revelstoke Mountain Resort. With stunning views of the Columbia Valley stretched out below, delegates will enjoy the jazz stylings of Bob Rogers Trio and celebrate the winners of the B.C. Historical Writing Awards, to be presented by Lieutenant-Governor Judith Guichon.

Throughout the conference, a book fair will be set up at the Regent Inn, where history enthusiasts can browse titles on B.C. history and in some cases, chat with the authors.

Our Heritage Celebration Week has many opportunities for everyone to celebrate and learn about our community’s rich and fascinating heritage.

The Arts Council has confirmed a concert by the  Banff Wardens (http://www.banffwardens.com/ ) on May 25 at 7:30 pm at the Performing Arts Centre.