Townshippers’ Festival 2018 ushers in fall on a warm note
Agatha Veale, Communications Assistant, Townshippers’ Association,
It was great weather for the close to 2,000 visitors and participants to celebrate the Eastern Townships English-speaking community at the 38th edition of the association’s cultural festival and information fair under the new brand of Townshippers’ Festival. Held at Richmond Regional High School by Townshippers’ Association, a non-profit community organization, in collaboration with the Eastern Townships School Board and the CIUSSS de l’estrie-chus, the festival featured the
creativity and vibrancy of the Townships community through a day of activities, entertainment and information. This year’s festival had over 200 participants. Visitors discovered the RRHS artisan show and craft sale, community organizations, learned about federal and provincial service offers, danced along with the Rainbow Country Cloggers and Richmond 4-H Square Dancers, and met True from CBC Kids’ True and the Rainbow. Visitors also had the chance to meet and chat with The Honourable Melanie Joly, Minister of Tourism, Official Languages and La Francophonie The silent auction was once again a popular draw featuring a myriad of generously donated items and services from across the Eastern Townships. Winning bidders who did not pick up their item at the end of the festival will be contacted by the Townshippers’ team in the coming days to make arrangements. Thanks to the hard work of students from Bishop’s University who formed this year’s Green Team and the vigilance of visitors and vendors alike, Townshippers’ Festival kept its commitment to leaving a minimal footprint on the environment. Refuse was streamed into composting, recycling and waste, with only one bag of garbage produced by close t0 2,000 participants and visitors.