Barkerville Historic Town & Park
  • About
    • Brief History
    • Governance
    • Careers
  • Discover
    • Main Season
    • 2022 Virtual School Field Trips
    • Winter Season
    • Special Events
    • Archives
  • Stay
    • Accommodations
    • Campgrounds
    • Surrounding Area
    • Book Now
  • Visit
    • Hours, Rates & Admission
    • Places to Shop & Eat
    • Getting Here
    • COVID-19 Changes
    • Town Map
    • Groups
    • FAQs
  • Gifts & Giving
    • Barkerville Online Gift Store
    • Mason & Daly Online
    • Become a Donor

BARKERVILLE CELEBRATES A CENTURY OF CATTLE-DRIVE CULTURE AT THE COWBOY AND DROVER JUBILEE

James Douglas September 7, 2011 Blog

From the earliest 19th-century goldfield cattle-drives to the square dance fervor of the 1940s and ‘50s, Barkerville has been proud to play venue to more than 100 years of cowboy culture. This September 9th to 11th, the historic town will honour that century of cowboy music, spoken word, and dance at the Barkerville Cowboy and Drover Jubilee.

The weekend-spanning event starts Friday, September 9th with registration for the first annual “Northern Star” amateur singing competition (sponsored by Vista Radio’s 97fm The Wolf) available from 9:30am until 3:00pm at Barkerville’s Visitor Reception Centre, along with general information about Jubilee activities. An informal “welcome” party at the House Hotel Saloon kicks off at 7:00pm, with open mic music and several special guest performances slated until midnight. Admission to the party is free (as is entrance to Barkerville after 3:00pm) and food and beverage can be purchased at the House Hotel throughout the evening.

Breakfast will be served Saturday, September 10th, at a variety of authentic Barkerville eateries. “Northern Star” registration will be available from 9:30am until noon at the Visitor Reception Centre, and at 10:30am an official Jubilee opening ceremony will take place under the big canvas tent at the front end of town. Under that same tent at 11:00am the first round of cowboy poetry will hold court until noon, and, according to Barkerville’s Visitor Experiences Manager, James Douglas, guests are encouraged to take the stage with poems of their own – if the spirit so takes them.

“Cowboy poetry grew out of a tradition of improvised composition carried on by workers on cattle drives and ranches in the mid to late-1800s,” said Douglas. “After a day of hard work these drovers, or cowboys as we call them, would gather around a campfire and entertain one another with tall tales and folk songs.

“We’re aim to keep that tradition alive here in Barkerville, and invite our Jubilee guests to help us along.”

From 11:30am until 3:00pm Saturday there will be a variety of musical performances by familiar cowboy troubadours like Allen Christie, Ed Wahl, Gordie West, and Budd Webb, as well as entries by the “Northern Star” contestants and a few surprise guests at the Jubilee music stages – Barkerville’s Methodist Church, Kelly Saloon, and House Hotel.

A “Cowboy Lunch” fundraiser for the Friends of Barkerville Cariboo Goldfields Historical Society will serve-up at noon, and a second series of cowboy poems will be slated between 1:00pm and 2:00pm at the big canvas tent. Dinner will be served at a number of Barkerville eateries starting in the early afternoon, in anticipation of the “Northern Star” showcase that will take place at Barkerville’s Theatre Royal at 5:00pm.

“We are particularly excited about the Northern Star amateur showcase,” said Douglas.

“This is our first stab at the event, and the competition is meant to be more fun than ferocious, but thanks to our good friends at 97fm The Wolf in Prince George, as well as Spruce Capital Feeds and a variety of contributors from Barkerville’s business community, the prize package for our winner is pretty amazing.”

The official, adjudicated “Northern Star” showcase, consisting of four contest finalists plus several special guest appearances, takes place onstage at Barkerville’s renowned Theatre Royal, where the ultimate winner of the competition will be invited to perform with Newman & Wright Theatre Company’s 2011 Theatre Royal cast during a special, separately ticketed 7:00pm performance of its popular Gold Rush Nuggets musical variety show.

Sunday, September 11th will begin with breakfast at various Barkerville establishments, and a “Cowboy Church” service at St. Saviour’s, built in 1869, commences at 9:00am. The Cowboy and Drover Jubilee wraps-up just past noon, as Barkerville wishes “happy trails” to its cowboy visitors until this time next year.

“Whether you ride, play, sing, dance, or just like to whoop it up on the trail from time to time, Barkerville is the place to be September 9th to 11th ,” said Douglas. “Thanks in large part to a dedicated group of cowboy culture enthusiasts, as well as financial assistance from BC Hydro and Barkerville Gold Mines, Ltd., the Barkerville Cowboy and Drover Jubilee is a great addition to Barkerville’s 2011 fall season.

“We can’t wait to see what pleasant surprises the weekend brings.”

GOOD FORTUNE “DEFINITELY LIVING” AT BARKERVILLE’S 13TH ANNUAL MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL WOZNEY HAS THE WOLF TO THANK AS BARKERVILLE’S INAUGURAL NORTHERN STAR IS BORN

Related Posts

GFH Mrs. Parker 2

Blog/

Barkerville launches campaign to make old-fashioned connections with those living in isolation

December 1, 2020 (Barkerville, BC) – For more than 60 years Barkerville Historic Town & Park has been sharing history and common humanity with its visitors to through live, interactive storytelling that is compassionate, personal, and compelling. With the resurgence of a COVID-19 risk in Canada, the National Historic Site’s planned on-site winter interpretive programs […]

An Original Peoples’ Perspective (Cheryl Chapman, Mike Retasket) photo by Jonny Bierman

Blog/

Barkerville re-launches innovative Virtual Field Trip program for schools across BC

September 30, 2020 (Barkerville, BC) – Barkerville Historic Town & Park is pleased to announce the re-launch of a ground-breaking Virtual Field Trip program that will again provide classrooms from across the province a unique opportunity to connect with Barkerville’s award-winning educators and historical interpreters… live and in real-time. For more than 60 years, the […]

Blog/

An Apology re: July 3rd Glacier Media Advertisement

We are deeply sorry for any hurt and confusion our recent newspaper advertisement has caused. We see now that our choice of words could be interpreted as Barkerville making light of one of the darkest chapters in the history of the indigenous peoples of British Columbia. This was not our intention – in fact quite […]

Get in Touch

Email: barkerville@barkerville.ca – Phone: 1-888-994-3332 – Fax: 250-994-3435 – Address: 14301 Hwy 26 E. Box 19, Barkerville, BC, V0K 1B0

About
Brief History
Governance
Careers
Donate

Discover
Main Season
Winter Season
Special Events
Archives

Stay
B &B’s
Cottages
Campgrounds
Surrounding Area
Book Now

Groups
Tour Groups
Virtual Programs
School Field Trips
Winter Trips
Private Events

Visit
Hours & Rates
Getting Here
Places to Shop & Eat
Town Map

 

© Barkerville Historic Town & Park 2022
Barkerville Historic Town & Park

請留下您的聯繫方式,我們的中文客服會盡快與您聯繫,制定最適合的旅游方案。

  • Date Format: MM slash DD slash YYYY