Culture Fête begins today at Fortress of Louisbourg
The Fortress of Louisbourg’s fourth annual Culture Fête will begin today and continue all weekend.
The three-day event will feature a different theme each day — today the focus is on trades and crafts, Saturday it’s arts and culture, and food will be the focus on Sunday.
“It’s a really jam-packed event and each day is a little different and there’s something going on at all times,” said Troy Allen, interpretation co-ordinator at the Fortress of Louisbourg.
Allen said Culture Fête is a way of welcoming area residents and visitors to celebrate the diversity that existed in 18th century Louisbourg.
“We open it up to the local community to participate, to help them engage with the Fortress of Louisbourg and be inspired and realize this special place we have here is theirs as well,” he said.
Culture Fête will include skill-oriented workshops, performances, storytelling, presentations, demonstrations, and an open-air market.
“In the open-air market we’ve invited local craftspeople and tradespeople to come to the fortress and they set up what they do whether they’re artists, painters, leather workers, knife makers, and they get to talk about what they do and show the visitors what they do,” said Allen. “And what’s been pretty special about it is that we’ve had some of them come back each year and each year they come back with things that the Fortress of Louisbourg has inspired them (to create).”
Culture Fête will also feature re-enactors from across North America, including a doctor who will re-enact what surgery would have been like in the 18th century.
The regular cost of admission to the Fortress of Louisbourg covers all Culture Fête activities. Regular daily programming at the fortress will also take place throughout the festival.