145th
Emancipation Celebration Festival
Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada
August
3rd to August 5th, 2007
Festival Update
Hello Everyone,
We welcome everyone to attend and join us
in celebrating our 145th celebration.
I'd like to take this opportunity to
thank all of our supporters, committee members, volunteers, event organizers,
community partners and participants in developing a Festival that will be
talked about through out our 150th celebration in 2012.
We welcome all contributors
participating in this years event including:
Afua Cooper, Lawrence Hill - keynote
"Perspectives" speakers with MC Barry Penhale (Natural Heritage
Books) accompanied by the Emancipation Celebration Jazz Band consisting of Ron
Harrison (drums), Bobby Blackburn (keyboards/vocals), Ray Green (bass), Ann
Clark (vocals) and friends (horns) (Friday August 3rd - 7 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. at
the OSCVI (Owen Sound Collegiate & Vocational Institute -1550 8th St
E, Owen Sound, Ontario - Phone: (519) 376-2010). We welcome
Grey Roots Museum and Archives partnering with us in this presentation.
As well in
collaboration with the Grey Roots Museum we will be presenting our 2nd annual
Emancipation Festival Art Show (Doris Fraser, EF Art
Director) Celebrating Fine Art, Sculpture, Fine Crafts & Film July 7th
to September 9th Grand Opening July 7th 1:30, Grey Roots Heritage & Visitor Centre, Owen Sound Ontario Inquiries:
Grey Roots – (519) 376 3690.
Joaquin Nunez Hidalgo Afro/Cuban
Band, Bruce Kruger and the Ontario Guild of Towncriers, Adventure Cycle/
University of Pittsburgh's Center for Minority Health Underground Railroad
cyclists & friends of the Emancipation Celebration Festival float donated
by E.C. King, decorated by Cathy Harris (committee member and interior
decorator) with floral arrangements donated by West Side Nurseries (http://www.westsideowensound.com/index.php) & Jean Kerr,
prominent international float designer (Rose Bowl).
We welcome the
Adventure Cycle's Inaugural Tour participants (2,058 miles - 46 days) to Owen
Sound on Tuesday May 29th (1155 1st Avenue West Visitor Centre) at 3:30 for a
"Welcome & Ceremonial "Wheel-dipping" followed by a barbeque
at Harrison Park 4:30 - 6:00. "You are invited to celebrate the end
of this first ever Underground Railroad Bicycle Tour as they dip their wheels
in Lake Huron. Both events are free and open to the public."
Our Festival Picnic (Harrison Park, Owen Sound) will vibrate with Live
Music, Games, Races, Special Awards, Crafts, Food Vendors, Storytelling,
Storyboards, Black History Exhibit, Games, Races, Cairn Presentation, huge
ambience culminating with the Emancipation
Festival Showcase: R&B, Soul, & Jazz
- featuring Music Director Brooke Blackburn, Liberty Silver, Demo Catz, Eugene Smith, Blackburn,
Bearcats, Joaquin Nunez Hidalgo Afro/Cuban Dance Troupe & More.
1 to 11 p.m.
Special guests including Stan Endersby of James Gang, Ronny
Hawkins, The Tripp, The Just Us, Livingston's Journey, Heaven and Earth
and Maple Oak fame (http://www.classicrockpage.com/everheardof/StanEndersby.htm)
will be offering a special tribute to Tribute to James “Mr. Blues”
Wayner, our Emancipation Festival vice chair and webmaster who passed away
recently. There is also a musicians tribute on June 2nd at the Curling
Club in Owen Sound starting at 8 p.m. All proceeds will go to charity in Jim's
name. See you there.
We are please
to have the Scenic City of Good Cheer Fish Fry back with us this year who give
all of the proceeds towards community development as well as new food vendors.
We are looking forward to our partnership with Petal Furness and
Karin Foster of Grey Roots Museum & Archives in their respective Black
History presentations. (Don't forget to pick up Grey Roots 4th edition of
Northern Terminus inclusive of an article written by Deb Hahne about the
Emancipation Festival/Picnic history, and much more local black history.
On Sunday August 5th 11-1:30 pm the Emancipation Festival, in
collaboration with the British Methodist Episcopal Church, (of Ontario Heritage
Act, "Historical Significance" designation, 245 Eleventh Street West,
Owen Sound), will present a "Gospel Explosion" featuring Gary
Beales of Canadian Idol fame, Lisa Toussaint, Director of UofT Gospel Choir,
Bobby “Dean” Blackburn, Special Guests & Friends. Gospel Director:
Heather Cadogan, Minister: Reverend Bill Oates. All are
welcomed.
Listen for our interview on the
Emancipation Festival on CBC (http://www.cbc.ca/frequency/frequency_ontario.html to find a station
nearest to you), on June 2nd between 1-3 p.m. Please keep an eye
out for the summer edition of SWAY magazine which will include an article on
the Festival and it's history.
We are please to have joined in
partnerships with SWAY magazine (http://canadianmags.blogspot.com/2005/12/new-mag-for-toronto-black-community.html - a "New mag
for <the> black community (50,000 circulation), WAVE 94.7 FM (http://www.wave947.fm/home.php) promoters of Smooth
Jazz artists Demo Catz and Liberty Silver.
We are honoured to be presented in this
year's Sweet Water Music Weekend (http://www.swmw.ca/faculty.html). "Sweet Water invites participants in this year's
Emancipation Festival to attend the world premiere of an original work
honouring Owen Sound's status as the northern terminus of the Underground
Railroad, composed by internationally renowned conductor of the Vancouver
Symphony Orchestra: Bramwell Tovey. Tickets and information about this premiere
can be obtained by calling 519.371.1754 (SweetWater Music Weekend takes place
September 21,22, 23, 2007 in Owen Sound and Meaford)."
We are pleased to co-partner with World
Vision towards generating funds earmarked for the children of South
Africa. You may donate your "Pennies from Heaven" to any TD
Canada Trust Bank, Transit # 33762, Account #5211557. Cheques can be made
out to the International Emancipation Childrens' Fund or to IECF mailed
to 1303 Knights Bridge Court, Burlington, ON L7P 3K8. At our recent
Jazz Brunch Fundraiser featuring Demo Catz and Stan Fomin (Catz-Fomin Project),
World Vision was able to find three South African children adoptive parents
with another three children under review. This excellent success has
motivated World Vision to take part in our full 3-day festival.
"Pennies from Heaven" spare change can also be donated at the
Emancipation Festival picnic on August 4th.
The Emancipation Festival would like to
thank the Theron Kramer, Regional Representative and the Trillium Foundation
for their grant support for this year's upcoming Festival. This is a
strong indicative of the Ontario government stepping up to the plate in showing
their support towards our success and continuity. The Trillium
Foundation's grant was dependent on the Emancipation Festival's showing of a
revenue development plan. As we cannot depend on donations which have
kept our festival/picnic going for 144 years, this plan requires us to charge
admittance to some of our events. In compliance, there will be a $10
admittance to the Speaker's Forum on Friday August 3rd - $5 admittance for
Seniors and those under 12 and $5 admittance to the Saturday picnic and musical
showcase (Seniors and under 12 are free). This meager admittance will
assist in providing for musicians and speakers many who have donated their
talents voluntarily in the past, and equipment required to put on a successful
Festival this year and in years to come.
We'd like to offer thanks to Owen Sound
Mayor Ruth Lovell, the 150th Homecoming committee and all of our partners in
presenting this monumental celebration.
We strive to continue our celebration of the British
Commonwealth Emancipation Act of August 1, 1834, the United States Emancipation
Proclamation of January 1, 1863 and, this year, the 200th anniversary of the
British Abolition of the Slave Trade, March 25, 1807. We welcome all in
joining with us in this celebration.
Please note that we are interested in
volunteers for all events throughout the Festival. Students will obtain a
certification of hours for their highschool prerequisites and have a great
learning experience. Please submit volunteer information to the contact
address below.
Be well, safe driving and we look forward
in celebrating with you throughout this memorable weekend.
Dennis Scott, Chair
Emancipation
Festival Committee
www.emancipation.ca
www.myspace.com/osemancipation
www.blog.myspace.com/osemancipation
905 331
0020 Voice