It's a Golden Raven summer all over the region.
A coalition of top-shelf historical and cultural sites is banded together under the Golden Raven branding umbrella, each one celebrating the others as a team of special attractions. This is the season where they all shine brightest in the eyes of visitors from around the world passing through on their tourist excursions, and the local holiday travellers as well.
The Golden Raven group includes Barkerville Historic Town, Fort St. James National Historic Site, Huble Homestead Historic Site, Mackenzie and District Museum, Prince George Railway and Forestry Museum, Exploration Place Science Centre and Museum, Two Rivers Gallery, Valemount Museum, Valley Museum and Archives of McBride, and McBride's Whistle Stop Gallery. These are the highlight locations within the Fraser-Fort George Regional District.
In this two-part special feature, we will outline first the Golden Raven features from within Prince George, then in Part 2 will will examine the Golden Raven summer selections from the wider region.
Huble Homestead Historic Site
- The heritage farm and Giscome Portage trailhead is open every day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. until September 1.
- During the BCNE visit Heritage Lane where the Huble Homestead staff will transport some of the elements of their site. Always popular at the fair is their Seebach and Huble General Store.
- Aug. 18 to 22 pre-registered kids can take part in Pioneer Kids Summer Adventure Camp where your school-aged child can experience hands-on history. Register by calling Big Brothers / Big Sisters at 250-563-7410. For the cost of $170 per child, you can turn your kid into a pioneer for a week!
- Aug. 31 and Sept. 1 Celebrate the mighty spud with a new Huble event - the Potato Festival - featuring potatoes for sale and to taste, information, crafts, and more.
- Huble also offers fall activities like special events on Thanksgiving and Halloween.
Prince George Railway and Forestry Museum
- Cottonwood Mini-Railway at the BCNE (this weekend!). Get "All a'board!" as the Cottonwood mini-railway will be in the Heritage Lane section of the fall fair along with other local cultural facilities.
- See the on-site exhibit "100 Years of Railway In Prince George" on now until Sept. 20 at their Cottonwood Island facility. "Guest-curated by UNBC History student David Gill, this exhibition will explore the history of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway's construction through Prince George and its impact in 1914 and beyond," said a museum statement. "Don't miss this important display! The exhibit will also kick off a season of special events commemorating 100 Years of train travel and transportation in Prince George."
- Family Fun Day on Sept. 30
Exploration Place Science Centre and Museum
- Fort George Explorers summer camps and Science Alliance summer camps are operating now out of the facility. Sign up for these youth-care opportunities.
- This weekend the Exploration Place will be on-site at the BCNE as part of the Heritage Lane feature of the fall fair.
- Come out to see the museum's permanent installations, the touring exhibits, the family activities, and the gift shop all under the Exploration Place roof. Outside their front step, see the historic buildings like an actual schoolhouse from the bygone days of the region, an actual part of the trading fort that once established business relationships between European visitors and the resident Lheidli T'enneh First Nation, whose cultural resting grounds are still evident at a picturesque graveyard a stone's throw from the buildings. Also featured at this end of Fort George Park is the vintage train station/gift shop and the Little Prince steam train that trundles around the park on select days.
Two Rivers Gallery
Northern B.C.'s most prominent art facility, there is always plenty to see and do here. Every Thursday evening MakerLab brings together those who are handy and curious to build new projects together. Families come in on Sundays for kids art activities. There are three feature galleries and an exhilarating gift shop all perpetually loaded in art. Classes, day camps, special events and many other programs are headquartered at the 2RG.
- Now until Oct. 12 enjoy Phil Morrison's sculptures in the exhibition entitled Heaven Hunger Heart. Also on display is the Andrzej Maciejewski photo exhibition entitled Garden of Eden. Some key features on now include Karl Mattson's Life Pod functional sculpture and Jose Delgado-Guevara's debut painting show in the Rustad Galleria until Aug. 17.
