Students from across the province will be participating in the sixth annual Provincial Heritage Fair Friday, at the Confederation Centre of the Arts from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The Fair is open to the public between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. More than 2,600 students, teachers and volunteers have participated in community-based fairs which encourage children in Grades five to nine to explore their heritage, whether it is their own or that of our great nation. This year's Provincial Heritage Fair will feature approximately 200 outstanding exhibits in English and French.
"The primary focus of the Fair is to encourage students to tell stories and share information about Canadian heroes, events and lifestyles of the past and to provide a venue for students to present the results of their efforts to the community," said Premier Pat Binns. "I am very pleased with the interest and involvement of students from across Prince Edward Island."
The Fair will conclude with an official ceremony at 3:30 p.m. Honoured guests will include the Honourable Gilbert Clements, Lieutenant Governor; the Honourable Patrick Binns, Premier; the Honourable Gail Shea, Minister of Cultural and Community Affairs; Mr. Shawn Murphy, MP for Hillsborough; and Kathleen Casey, Councillor for the City of Charlottetown. At this time the finalists to be considered for the Historica Foundation National Heritage Fair will be announced. This year's National Heritage Fair will be held in Kamloops, BC from July 8 -15, 2001.
The Provincial Heritage Fair is sponsored by the PEI Department of Community and Cultural Affairs, the Historica Foundation and the Confederation Centre of the Arts.
Minister of Cultural and Community Affairs, the Honourable Gail Shea, said that she is very excited by the success of the Heritage Fairs on Prince Edward Island. "The participation at the school level gives all of our students the chance to highlight what is important to them and to their communities about the past. The Provincial Fair brings together the best that the province has to offer and I urge the public to see the results."