The P.E.I. Department of Education and the CRB (Bronfman) Foundation's Heritage Project are pleased to announce Slemon Park as the site for Prince Edward Island's first Regional Heritage Fair. The Fair will run May 23-25, 1996 and involve more than 300 students from the Eastern, Western and French school districts. The Honorable Alex B. Campbell, former premier of P.E.I., will be the Honorary Chairman of this year's provincial fair. Hon. Campbell will be joined by staff of the Department of Education as well as sub-committees chaired by volunteers primarily from the Summerside area.
The Heritage Fair will be a multi-media education program designed to increase awareness and interest in Canadian history. The focus of the Fair is to encourage students to use any medium of their choice to tell stories and share information about Canadian heroes and events. As well, the Fair will provide a venue for presenting the results of their efforts to the community at large.
On April 19, Robert Scully, French Creative Director for the Heritage Project, will be working with Pat McGowan and selected students of Cardigan Consolidated school to produce a Heritage Minute. The Heritage Minutes are a series of 60 second mini-movies which vividly bring to life notable people and events from our country's past. The P.E.I. Heritage Minute will be centered around the All Saints Roman Catholic Church in Caridgan.
The Heritage Fair will officially kick off at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 23. An opening ceremony featuring student talent is scheduled to be held at the Holland College School of Justice. Student participants will showcase their work all day on Friday, May 24 to an expected audience of over 3,500 fellow students. Heritage workshops and social events will also be held throughout the three days for the participants.
The P.E.I. Heritage Fair will be held in conjunction with regional fairs in New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia. An Internet link between sites will provide students with the opportunity to communicate with each other and exchange ideas and information about the exhibits.
Fifteen students from the P.E.I. Regional Heritage Fair will be selected to participate in the National Heritage Fair scheduled for July 20-25, 1996 in Saint John, New Brunswick. The National Fair provides students with an additional opportunity to exhibit their projects and learn with representatives from other participating regions. As well, two students and one chaperone from P.E.I. will be participating in an exchange with the Sherbrooke Fair in Quebec.