Where we come from is important in who we are today.
The Bathurst Heritage Museum will spend the month of February celebrating our heritage.
National Heritage Day is the third Monday of every February, falling on Feb. 17 this year.
The museum has some events lined up from Feb. 11 to 14 to celebrate the occasion.
Jessica Ryan, president of the Bathurst Heritage Trust Commission, said people should visit the museum on 360 Douglas Avenue.
“To learn about their heritage and their culture, that’s the main thing,” she said. “And to learn about Bathurst. Everything upstairs has to do with Bathurst and their businesses.”
On Feb. 11, local singing group Friends and Song will perform at 7 p.m., followed by a presentation by about the Nepisiguit conducted by Rod O’Connell.
On Feb. 12, a film called “A Bit of Nostalgia” will be shown at 7 p.m. It is of a play that took place in 1984 in honour of the 200th anniversary of New Brunswick. It is written by the late Connie Fellows.
There will be many familiar faces in the film such as Bathurst Mayor Stephen Brunet who plays a part in the play.
On Feb. 13 the mayor and city council will hold a “5 to 7”, which is like a wine and cheese party.
All members of the community are welcome.
On Feb. 14, Mayor Brunet will set up shop at the heritage museum instead of at City Hall. People who visit the mayor to voice questions and concerns will do so at the heritage museum.
In turn, those people may want to have a look around at the many documents and artifacts the museum holds.
“The last time I held my office here people came in, long-time Bathurst residents, who had never been in this building,” said Brunet during the Bathurst Heritage Trust Commission’s meeting on Jan. 29. “So again I hope it entices people to come in and see what’s in this building and enjoy our history.”
To Ryan, the entire month of February needs to be Heritage month.
There will be more activities throughout the month. All month, the museum will air DVDs of the early concerts by Fellows.
Gilbert Sewell, an elder from Pabineau First Nation, will be at the museum to share some of the traditions of the local First Nations people. The upstairs gallery will be filled with the crafts and art of people from Pabineau First Nation.
Heritage Day stated in 1973 and was placed in February because there is no holiday between New Year’s Day in January and Easter in April.
“There is no holiday from January the first to Easter and as many as 25 years ago one of the talk show hosts from Canada, he had suggested that heritage day, which is always the third week of February, would be a day off for a holiday,” said Ryan.