Heritage Fairs

History comes alive when young Canadians share their heritage through presentations, plays, exhibits, songs and multi-media presentations. Organized by teachers, schools, school boards or community groups, Heritage Fairs encourage students in grades 4-9 to seek out the living history that surrounds them and to develop their own means of sharing the stories they discover.

Some Background

The Heritage Fair Programme was established as a way to involve educators and heritage activists in The CRB Foundation's Heritage Project, a long-term educational project designed to heighten interest and awareness of Canada's past. Based on the model of Science Fairs, Heritage Fairs have proved to be the fastest growing initiative of the Project with over 42,000 participating students in 1999 compared to 35,000 in 1998.

Objectives

Heritage Fairs aim to:

• heighten awareness of our heritage and celebrate our cultural diversity,
• promote and publicize the variety and uniqueness of our heritage,
• create an exciting and innovative learning environment for students of history, and
• encourage individuals and communities to celebrate their part in Canada's history.

Organization

Regional Fairs are organized within the local community, with the support of educational and heritage groups and institutions and the sponsorship of local businesses. Community groups and businesses are encouraged to actively participate through assisting students in their projects and by constructing their own exhibits for the Fair. Regional Heritage Fair organizations oversee Fairs in their province/territory and select students for participation at the National Fair.

The National Fair reflects the bilingual nature of our country and is held in July in a different community each year. This Fair provides a showcase for students' work from all of the locally-organized Fairs and an opportunity for students from across Canada to meet and explore a part of Canada they might otherwise never visit. Throughout the week, small groups of students concentrate on two projects - a dramatic production and a multi-media presentation. A one-day public exhibition allows participants to present these projects and the regional projects which brought them there. The student exhibition is augmented with exhibits from programme sponsors, national heritage organizations, government agencies and the host community. Sightseeing and historic tours and cultural and social events round out an action-packed week.

An Electronic Fair is hosted on the Internet throughout the school year, encouraging collaboration on projects between students and schools in different parts of the country.

The CRB Foundation, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and other national sponsors support the National Fair activities and infrastructure.

For an organizers' guide and further information:

"The Heritage Fair Program is unequivocally one of the best programs offered in New Brunswick schools. It provides first-hand experiences for young learners to develop their understanding of Canadian Heritage." -Barry Lyden, Director of Curriculum Development, New Brunswick Dept. of Education