Message of Love being delivered throughout South Dundas

 If there had been as many people, in 1813, able to take up arms as there were people gathered to watch a recreation of the Chrysler’s  Farm Battle in 2013, well, no Americans would have dared to invade this nation.

Upper Canada Village Saturday, July 13, and Sunday, July 14, drew some of the largest crowds ever seen at the heritage site. By any standards, the much anticipated re-enactment of the battle which saved Upper Canada 200 years ago during the War of 1812 was an unqualified success. According to Village authorities, over 7,200 people attended the battle, toured the Village, or took in both activities. 

The success of the bicentennial re-enactment was also due to the tireless efforts of the Friends of the Crysler’s Farm Battlefield, who have hosted the event for the last 13 years. The committee is made up entirely of volunteers who spent long weeks organizing events, contacting other key groups and co-ordinating the hundreds of living history re-enactors who came to South Dundas for the weekend from all over Ontario, Quebec and from the States. Working in partnership with the Village, Robin Morris, Bob Irvine and the Friends helped make the 200th anniversary one that visitors were eager to praise.

“It was a really strong event for the Village,” said Jancis Sommerville, Special Events Officer at UCV. “We may all be a little tired today on the site, but it was a wonderful weekend.”

The recreation of the pivotal battle drew over 850 re-enactors to the South Dundas area. Nearly 500 of them actually took part in three weekend battles.

These re-enactors camped in the fields below the Crysler Memorial in tents that imitated those that soldiers, officers, their families and camp followers would have shared 200 years ago. They dress, walk, ride, cook and carry the arms and colours of those who actually served in the War with the United States.

Visitors were invited to step back in time and see  blacksmithing, 1800’s military surgery, tinsmithing, rope making, itinerant medicine men hawking their wares, lively games of cricket, dress making and  military parades. 

Throughout the weekend, noted historians held talks on the local Battle and the origin and nature of the events of the War of 1812 in general.  

Also present, reminding visitors of the enormous contribution to the survival of Canada made by the First Nations warriors, were singers and dancers from Akwesasne.

“Represented here today are the Awkwesasne Spirit Singers with dancers from the North American Indian Travelling College,” said Mohawk Jerry MacDonald. “We have 12 young dancers with us who are proud to perform the ancient dances, proud of learning about their culture and heritage.”

Accepting 1812 honours on behalf of all Francophone militia from Lower Canada who fought in battles like Chateauguay, were the Voltigeurs de Quebec. South Dundas mayor Steven Byvelds accepted the salute and inspected the troops at the base of the Memorial during the ceremony. The Voltigeurs are one of the oldest French Canadian regiments, having served in many major conflicts from the 1850s to modern day.

The full flavour of the War was brought to bear with the participation in the battles of the tall ships Fair Jeanne and La Revenante, as well as seven gunboats of the era. Cannons firing over the water formed a powerful backdrop to the cannonades on shore.

Definitely the high lights of weekend were the re-enactments of the actual Battle of Crysler’s Farm. As a narrator described the action, the British troops, Canadian militia and Native allies took to the field in a powerful struggle against the invading Americans. The crowds packed on to the hill, cheered loudly and long as the ‘enemy’ was finally repulsed.

All in all, 1813 was a year to remember. And Upper Canada Village and the Friends of the Crysler’s Farm Battlefield staged an historical event to remember.

[…]

“You don’t have to go far from home to hear great music,” said Bev Anderson of Brockville, just one of the fans who turned out for the 5th Annual Upper Canada  Bluegrass Festival held at Upper Canada Campground September 16-18.

Hosted by campground owners David and Ruth Wells, with the musical talent organized by Mike Anderson, over 110 campers and  a large number of day visitors came out to enjoy some of the best bluegrass music around. “We had great weather all weekend,” Wells said, “and there are a lot of die hard fans for bluegrass out there. The people who come to these events are terrific.”

Although Wells reported that numbers were somewhat down from other years, due, he thought to the economy and high gas prices, it was an exciting two day event.

“It’s been a great turn-out,” said Terry Joe Banjo, who acted as emcee for the festival, performed with a number of groups and staged workshops throughout the weekend. “We had eight good bands performing. A lot of exciting music here.”

Mike Anderson, who performed with his own band Northwind, organized the musical line-up,  and felt it had been an excellent festival. “We had a lot of support. The workshops in instruments like guitar, banjo and mandolin also drew many people. No question, top performers love to run workshops and share their skills and knowledge.

That’s what’s so great about bluegrass.”

Bands performing included Hard Ryde, Grassland, Dave Nichols & Spare Change, Jan Purcell & Pine Road, Bill White & White Pine, Concession 23, Northwind and Maple Hill.

[…]

Media Release

On Palm Sunday, April 1st, you are invited to attend a Harmony Church Celebration service at Timothy Christian School in Williamsburg at 10:30 a.m. 

What is Not new: Harmony Community Church is an evangelical church that has been serving the Lord in Dundas County since 1885. 

What is New: We will be hosting three Sunday morning celebration services at Timothy Christian School on the first Sunday for the months of April, May and June.

Our plan is to offer a satellite service in South Dundas (Williamsburg) that will be a complete sample of Harmony Church’s style of worship and preaching simultaneously with our North Dundas location on Ormond Road.

The purpose is fourfold:

•First, to give our existing South Dundas families an opportunity to worship closer to home and thereby “bring Harmony home” to their family, friends and community. This will save them time and gas by having a local celebration and increasing opportunities for them to get to know each other better. Sometimes “smaller is better” and the larger Sunday service doesn’t always allow you to get to know people as well. We have so much musical and preaching talent that it takes more than one service to allow people to use their God given gifts.

•Second, to re-enforce the message that the “Church” is not a building with an address but it is the people of God wherever they may meet.

•Third, to proclaim the Full Gospel of Jesus Christ as Saviour, Healer and coming King in South Dundas thus giving opportunities for those who have heard of Harmony but find distance an obstacle to be able to “come and see what we are about”.

•Fourth, because we just like to worship God all over the place.

For more information, call 613-774-5170 or visit the website at www.harmony-church.org.

[…]