The Bryson 150th Anniversary Summer Festival kicked off on Friday, August 6, 2023, with an evening of musical entertainment featuring Jordan Levesque, the duo of Michaela Cahill and René Bertrand and DJ Martin Leguerrier.
The highlight of the day was the much anticipated opening of the Time Capsule which had been stored in the town Hall since 1998 when the Bryson 125th Anniversary Committee organized the items that went into the capsule. There were lots of people on hand for the opening to see what messages their relatives, some now deceased, had left for them to read 25 years later.
Councillor Joanne Ralston, also a member of the Bryson 150th Committee explained: “Wayne Maloney was a councillor in 1998. He and his wife Betty took on the task of organizing the festivities for the 125th. We spoke to them at the beginning of this process last year and they shared the information they had. It is kind of like the passing of the torch.”
Saturday, August 7, saw a full day of activities starting at noon with the Little Rascals Kids Market where young entrepreneurs were able to showcase their wares to a supportive crowd.
The Krusher Extreme Sports shows at 1:00 and 4:00 pm played to two large audiences as Louis Philippe Chabot of La Beauce, on his dirt bike and Pierre-Luc Trépanier of Trois Rivière on the Quad Cycle and Snowmobile, performed amazing stunts launching off a ramp and flying through the air! The day ended with musical entertainment for the kids by the Junkyard Symphony, then the duo of Denny Welburn on guitar and James Murray on saxophone followed by the Pop Rock sounds of “REWD” bringing many out on the dance floor.
The final events of the weekend began at noon on Sunday with kids’ activities including face painting, henna tattoos, and bumper boats in an inflatable pool.
The Canadian Lumberjack Competition put on two well attended shows highlighting the skills of forestry workers, a large part of Bryson’s history. The crowd showed their appreciation, applauding the skill of the competitors and groaning at the humour injected into the commentary. Music again was an integral part of the day with the Country sounds of Gary Cummings and Friends drawing another large crowd to sit in the shade, meeting old and new friends who had come from far and wide to celebrate Bryson’s 150th.
Throughout the day many enjoyed the famous Bryson Lions Seapie dinner plus burgers, hot dogs, fries and “Wings and Things” Chicken Wings prepared by the Bryson Grand Calumet Fire Service members. A special addition to the refreshment canteen was wine from Little Red Wagon Winery in Clarendon and a specially labeled Bryson 150 Pale Lager from Brauwerk Hoffman in Campbells Bay.
More events are scheduled starting on Tuesday, August 8 through Sunday August 13 including historical exhibits, walking tours, a volleyball tournament, outdoor yoga and even high tea in period costume! The schedule can be found on the Bryson 150 Facebook page and on the back page of this issue’s Journal.
