Fernie Chautauqua Festival
Please join the Fernie Museum, Fernie Heritage Library, Fernie Mountain Market, Fernie Artistic Guilds and a host of entertainers for a weekend of culture, entertainment and heritage.
Please note that due to new health guidelines from the Province of BC announced on Friday, August 20th, attendance at all events will be subject to current rules and events may need to be adjusted without notice. Please be patient and refer to festival organisers and social media for up-to-date announcements. Please note:
- Please do not visit the festival if you have any signs or symptoms of COVID-19, including a new or worsening cough, fever or sore throat.
- Please do not visit the festival if you have taken a COVID-19 test within the past 72 hours and have not yet received your test results, or have received a positive result.
- Please sanitise your hands on entry to the festival areas.
- Masks will be required for all attendees within festival areas, including guests, exhibitors, organisers and volunteers. The only exception will be performers while on stage.
- Please be calm & kind as you enjoy the festival. We are navigating new territory and doing our best to bring you an entertaining and informative event!
Friday, 10th September 2021
11AM | CHAUTAUQUA KIDS AT FERNIE HERITAGE LIBRARY | FREE
Special heritage storytime for ages 0 – 5
Curbside craft – pick up supplies until 5pm
NOON | LUNCH & LEARN AT FERNIE SENIOR’S DROP IN CENTRE, 562 3ND AVE | TICKETS $15
BONNETS TO BLOOMERS
Local historian Lindsay Vallance reveals all in this lighthearted Victorian fashion dress-up demonstration, teamed with a scrumptious lunch.
6:30PM | CHAUTAUQUA STAGE AT FERNIE CITY HALL, 501 3RD AVE | FREE – TICKETS REQUIRED
TIM WILLIAMS TINY CONCERT
Bring a picnic dinner for a solo outdoor show on the lawn with blues musician Tim Williams.
GATES OPEN 6PM
MAXIMUM 100 TICKETS AVAILABLE – PHYSICALLY DISTANCED SEATING ON THE LAWN
Tim began his music career in Southern California while still in his teens, playing coffee houses, colleges, concert halls and more, and recording his first LP Blues Full Circle for Epic Records. He moved to Canada in 1970 and still calls Calgary home, but has played in Mexico, Cuba, Australia, Morocco, The UK, Italy, Slovenia, Germany and Hungary in addition to much of North America. As a producer and artist, he has been involved with four JUNO-nominated recordings and received more than a dozen Maple Blues award nominations as artist, writer, guitarist and producer, and was a dual winner at the 2014 International Blues Challenge in Memphis (Best solo or duo/Best guitarist solo or duo).
Tim’s music is primarily influenced by pre-war blues, but elements of Hawaiian and Mexican music, old-time country music, zydeco and more all show up in a typical set…played on an arsenal of flat-top guitar, Hawaiian steel, bottle neck slide, cigar box guitar, and a variety of mandolins.His latest recording, Catfish (with Kevin Belzner and Big Dave Maclean, under the group name BMW) reached number one on CKUA Radio.
PRESENTED BY FDHS & ELK VALLEY BULLS RUGBY CLUB – SPONSORED BY TECK
Find tickets for all events here
Saturday, 11th September 2021
11AM | HERITAGE WALKING TOUR AT FERNIE MUSEUM, 491 2ND AVE | TICKETS $5
THE 1908 GREAT FIRE
Join Lindsay Vallance to learn about this infamous day from the past. On August 1st, 1908, a wildfire swept through Fernie, razing the town in just 90 minutes and causing over $5 million in property damage. The resulting building ordinances created the town we enjoy today.
11AM | CHAUTAUQUA KIDS AT FERNIE HERITAGE LIBRARY | FREE
Special heritage storytime for ages 0 – 5 at 11am, 12pm, 1pm & 2pm
Curbside Craft – pick up supplies until 4pm
Storytime Walk
Chautauqua Photos with Jamie Hide
11AM | ART ON THE LAWN AT FERNIE CITY HALL, 501 3RD AVE | FREE – TICKETS REQUIRED
TERRIFIC TEXTILES
The Fernie Spinners and Weavers Guild present a showcase of all things textile.
11AM: Laura Loewen demonstrates the earliest spinning on a drop spindle
11:30AM: Cathy Smith-Clark presents a spinning wheel show-and-tell
12 NOON: Mary Cosman demonstrates Inkle loom weaving
GATES OPEN AT 10:30AM
MAXIMUM 100 TICKETS AVAILABLE
11AM & 12:30PM | FANTASTIC PHONE PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP | TICKETS $15
WITH GABRIELA ESCOBAR ARI
Meet on the steps of City Hall, 501 3rd Ave
Professional photographer Gabriela Escobar Ari provides an interactive workshop to help you get the best possible photos out of the technology that’s already available in the palm of your hand.
1PM | CHAUTAUQUA STAGE AT FERNIE CITY HALL, 501 3RD AVE | FREE – TICKETS REQUIRED
THE SOOKANIE SINGERS
The Sookanie Singers have been drumming and singing for more than 20 years across Canada and the USA. Their name was chosen for the lead singer’s Sioux Nation heritage, while the remaining singers are from the Kootenay tribe.
1PM – 2:30PM | HERITAGE BUILDINGS MEET & GREET | FREE – TICKETS REQUIRED
CHURCH & COURT
Join Terri Tombosso for series of four individual presentations about Fernie’s unique heritage buildings and learn more about how Fernie’s historic places are serving the community today, and the ongoing efforts to maintain them.
Participants may attend one, two, three, or all four presentations.
A ticket is required for each. Maximum 30 tickets available for each location.
1PM: United Church –201 2nd Ave
1:30PM: Fernie Courthouse –401 4th Ave
2PM: Holy Family Catholic Church –521 4th Ave
2:30PM: Anglican Church of Christ –561 4th Ave
2PM | HERITAGE WALKING TOUR AT FERNIE MUSEUM, 491 2ND AVE | TICKETS $5
RUMRUNNERS!
Join Lindsay Vallance for a whirlwind tour of one of Fernie’s most fascinating historical stories. Discover the story of the three larger-than-life kingpin Rum Runners – Emilio Picariello, Jack Wilson, and Mark Rogers –who ruled the illicit liquor trade from Lethbridge to Fernie and down as far as Spokane, WA.
Find tickets for all events here
Sunday, 12th September 2021
10AM – 2PM | FERNIE HARVEST MARKET AT FERNIE CITY HALL, 501 3RD AVE | FREE
A special presentation of the Fernie Mountain Market highlighting local produce and creativity.
With music from DJ Jay Ray.
11AM | ART ON THE LAWN AT FERNIE CITY HALL, 501 3RD AVE | FREE – TICKETS REQUIRED
DISCOVERY!
The Visual Arts Guild showcases a variety of two and three dimensional art techniques.
On arrival, choose two presentations to attend. First come, first served. Presentations available:
Mary Menduk – acylic landscapes • Pat Moore – alcohol inks • Laura Bentley – Art for kids • Alexandra Kozak – acrylic illustration • Jolene Miner – bookbinding
GATES OPEN 10:30AM
100 TICKETS AVAILABLE
12:30PM | CHAUTAUQUA STAGE AT FERNIE CITY HALL, 501 3RD AVE | FREE – TICKETS REQUIRED
THE AUDIELLES
Bring a picnic lunch to enjoy the harmonious voices of this eight-woman vocal ensemble from Fernie. The Audielles sing anything and everything, from head-bopping 80s pop to friendly folk to smooth jazz. Their powerful sound and rich harmonies charm local audiences and are guaranteed to set feet tapping.
100 TICKETS AVAILABLE
PHYSICALLY DISTANCED SEATING ON THE LAWN
PRESENTED BY FDHS – SPONSORED BY TECK
1PM | URBAN SKETCHING WORKSHOP AT FERNIE CITY HALL, 501 3RD AVE | TICKETS $25
WITH KAREN MACDONALD
Urban sketching is not about creating a perfectly detailed painting, you only need to have an interest in observing your neighbourhood. Urban sketching is a great way to capture the spontaneity of the world around you. Once you learn how enjoyable it is to record a quick visual description of your surroundings, you can apply that to daily sketching or even a travel journal.
No experience is necessary.
Basic supply kit included: watercolours, pencil, eraser, brush and paper.
Maximum of 12 attendees.
2 Hours.
2PM | 50/50 RAFFLE DRAW AT FERNIE CITY HALL, 501 3RD AVE | PURCHASE RAFFLE TICKETS ONLINE HERE
YOUR TICKET TO HISTORY!
Purchase your tickets ONLINE no later than 12 noon on Sunday, September 12th. Ticket Draw will be held online and winner announced at 2pm at the Chautauqua Festival Grounds at City Hall.