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VIDEO: Celebrating everything country in Campbell Valley Regional Park

Second day of annual event featuring an extended look at farm life back in the day
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Langley resident Beverly Pears gave up being a realtor to become a full-time carver. She is a member of the Fraser Valley Woodturners Guild, which is a regular participant at the Country Celebration held in Campbell Valley Regional Park. (Dam Ferguson/

One day, Langley resident Beverly Pears decided to give up the real estate business and pursue her new passion of woodcarving full-time.

After 23 years in the business, she was ready for a change.

“A friend showed me some handmade wooden pens and I said, ‘I want to do that,” Pears recalled.

“So I went out and bought a lathe.”

After making custom wooden pens, she moved on to more challenging projects.

But her phone kept ringing with real estate deals.

Pears picked it up one last time.

“I said, I quit,” Pears told the Langley Advance Times, laughing.

She has a website devoted to her work at www.bpears.com.

Over the Sept. 7 - 8 weekend, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Pears and other members of the Fraser Valley Woodturners Guild were demonstrating their at for visitors to the annual Country Celebration at Campbell Valley Regional Park in Langley.

She was wearing a small, hand-turned badge with her name, that many people thought had an image of a bird.

Pears said that was a happy accident, with the darker woodgrain whirls showing what appeared to a beak and eye of a bird in profile.

For the 40th anniversary of the event, visitors were greeted by images of old posters and photographs of attendees from previous events. People were invited to put pins in a map to show where they had come from..

Organizer Zoey Slater was predicting a record turnout

“We’ve had so many people come,” Slater said.

“I think one reason is that everyone wants to celebrate the anniversary and remember all the fun times they’ve had in the past.

READ MORE: VIDEO: Thousands explore country life during Langley fair

Located behind the heritage Lochiel Elementary school at 710 204 St. the event also featured musical performances, the nature barn, giant straw maze, Kids Zone activities, Raku pottery workshops, roving performers, live farm animals and pony rides.

Attractions also included a comic juggler, antique farm engines and tools, where people had a chance to try hand-sawing and drilling.

More photos can be viewed online.

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Email: dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com

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The hay bale maze is a popular attraction at the Country Celebration in Langley’s Campbell Valley Park. (Dan Ferguson/Langley Advance Times)
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Cutting wood old-school at the Country Celebration in Campbell Valley Regional Park. (Dan Ferguson/Langley Advance Times)
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A young visitor takes a seat in an antique tractor at the Country Celebration in Campbell Valley Park. (Dan Ferguson/Langley Advance Times)
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Live music fans had plenty to choose from at the Country Celebration in Campbell Valley Regional Park. (Dan Ferguson/Langley Advance Times)
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One of several Brown Chinese Geese at Campbell Valley Regional Park. (Dan Ferguson/Langley Advance Times)


Dan Ferguson

About the Author: Dan Ferguson

Best recognized for my resemblance to St. Nick, I’m the guy you’ll often see out at community events and happenings around town.
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