Don’t miss the annual Brigade Days festival at Fort Langley National Historic Site, August 4-6. Period re-enactors from all over British Columbia and Washington will convene for three days of 1800s living, live music and a traditional cook-off.
Throughout the long weekend, re-enactors pack the site with their tents and gear bringing history to life inside the palisade walls. Visit with re-enactors and watch demonstrations of sewing, trapping, cooking and historic weapons.
On Saturday August 4, enjoy lively French-Canadian dance performances by Ensemble Folklorique Traditions.
Then on Sunday August 5, a day of interesting demonstrations in the encampment culminates with the traditional Fur Trade Cook-off at 4:30 p.m. Come early to watch the re-enactors of all ages cook up their 1800s recipes, and see which dish the judges choose as the winner.
On Monday August 6 at 1 p.m., don’t miss the highlight of the year, “The Arrival of the Fur Brigades.” Re-enactors will paddle to Fort Langley and unload their cargo of furs, barrels and dignitaries at Fort Langley’s Marina Park. Cheer on the canoe brigades, and hear the exciting bagpipe and black powder salute! The traditional reenactment portrays the annual return of fur traders in the 1800s, who transported the year’s intake of furs from interior and northern trading posts to Fort Langley, later to be delivered by ship back to England.
Later that evening, celebrate BC Day with the annual “Picnic in the Fort”, a free concert sponsored by the Fort Langley Community Improvement Society. The concert includes performances by the Langley Music School Fiddlers with Andrea Taylor leading in for John Reischman and the Jay Birds. Bring a blanket, chairs and a picnic, or pick up food from the barbecue offered by the Full Barrel Café.
Regular admission fees apply for the weekend, or visit free with your annual pass. Adult day admission is $7.80; family admission is $19.80. Admission on Monday August 6 only will be complimentary. Download the event schedule at: www.parkscanada.gc.ca/fortlangley.
In 1848 Fort Langley became the main depot for the Hudson’s Bay Company on the west coast. Every summer in the 1850s, the fur brigades traveled down the rivers to Fort Langley. The brigades came down in canoes full of furs and other goods that had been traded with First Nations at the Interior forts and brought bring other supplies back from Fort Langley at the end of the summer.
Fort Langley was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1923 and is one of Parks Canada’s national treasures. Parks Canada is pleased to preserve and present this part of Canada’s history at Fort Langley National Historic Site on behalf of Canadians and visitors from around the world.
Event Schedule (also available online: www.parkscanada.gc.ca/fortlangley)
Brigade Days at Fort Langley National Historic Site
Saturday, August 4
9:00 am Site opens
9:30 am Guided Introduction
10:00 am Flag-raising Procession
10:30 am Weapons Demonstration
11:00 am Samuel Robertson Play
11:30 am Ensemble folklorique Traditions – dance performance & workshop
12:30 pm Trapping Techniques
1:00 pm Fur Trade Game Show
1:30 pm Weapons Demonstration
2:00 pm Ensemble folklorique Traditions
3:00 pm Fur Trade Wedding
4:00 pm Weapons Demonstration
4:30 pm Heritage Garden
5:00 pm Site Closes
Sunday, August 5
9:00 am Site opens
9:30 am Guided Introduction
10:00 am Flag-raising Procession
10:30 am Weapons Demonstration
10:45 am Historic Church Service
11:00 am Samuel Robertson Play
12:00 pm Weapons Demonstration
12:30 pm Fur Trade Game Show
1:30 pm Weapons Demonstration
2:00 pm Fur Trade Wedding
3:00 pm Trapping Techniques
4:00 pm Weapons Demonstration
4:30 pm Heritage Cook-Off
5:00 pm Site Closes
Monday, August 6 (FREE admission Monday only)
9:00 am Site opens
9:30 am Guided Introduction
10:00 am Flag-raising Procession
11:00 am Samuel Robertson Play
12:30 pm Bagpipe procession to Marina Park
1:00 pm Brigade Arrival at Marina Park
1:30 pm Procession from river to Big House
3:00 pm Fur Trade Wedding
4:00 pm Weapons Demonstration
4:30 pm Heritage Garden Program
5:00 pm Historic Buildings close
6:00 pm “Picnic in the Fort” – FREE concert & BBQ featuring: The Langley Music School Fiddlers with Andrea Taylor followed by John Reischman and the Jay Birds.
B.C. Farm Museum hosts ‘garden scale trains’
Join the B.C. Farm Museum in celebrating B.C. Day on August 3 to 6 with "Garden Scale Trains" presented by the Fraser Valley G Scale friends Garden Railroad Portable Layout.
This group of train enthusiasts promotes and operates garden scale trains. Their portable module has two tracks running electric steam and diesel locomotives and live steam locomotives including a steam up area coming off one corner. The trains consist of heavyweight passenger, baggage, and dining cars; flat cars; box cars; tank cars; and cabooses.
Listen to the whistle and the engine chuff as the locomotives chug around the track. The added scenery includes buildings, vehicles, people, and animals which enhances the overall image of our layout. Their raised layout is 25’ x 40’ and is typical of a train layout you can have in your backyard.
"Hear the gas burners, smell the steam oil, watch the plumes of live steam, hear the engine chuff, and see the lights in the dining car twinkle as the CPR passenger train leaves Fort Langley Station heading east. The trains are alive at the B.C. Farm Museum on B.C. Day weekend," says Duane Rose of FVGS Friends model train club.
Also there will be a number of model steam engines and implements running near to the garden railway.
The B.C. Farm Museum exhibits British Columbia’s largest pioneer collection with over 5,000 artifacts and 11,000 publications, in the heart of B.C.’s oldest settlement, Fort Langley. The museum is owned and operated by the BCFM Association (all volunteers), with support from admissions, donations and some funding from the Township of Langley.
To view information about the B.C. Farm Museum and their upcoming events, visit the website at www.bcfma.com