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Cranberry Festival
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Dig into dessert in the Town of Fort Langley
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Fort at night
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Fort Langley interpreter
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Fort to Fort Trail
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Fort to Fort Trail entrance
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Curtis Hildebrand
Halloween dress-up time
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Movie-making in the Town of Fort Langley
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Nette violin
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On the shore of the Fraser River
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Shopping in the town of Fort Langley
Perry Mack photoBy Christa Hanson
Strange things can happen in the birthplace of British Columbia. When you visit Fort Langley you could fall asleep in the present and wake up in the past. Your diary that day might sound something like this.
The men of the Hudson’s Bay Company have traveled from many parts of the world to arrive here at Fort Langley. Scots (mostly from the Orkney Islands), Métis, English, Hawaiians (or Sandwich Islanders as they were called), all chose to forge a new life for themselves on this unknown frontier. What the newcomers called wilderness, that once reigned over all of the Lower Mainland, was populated with First Nations communities – the trading partners and soon to be family of the HBC.
The Hudson’s Bay men make their homes, marry into the First Nations’ families and raise their children here. The Fur Trade keeps business booming for a while; beaver, otter and a myriad of other animals native to the West Coast bring bounteous profit to the Hudson’s Bay Company. Brigades arrive every year, bringing their own fur bales from further north. Every year that bounty is loaded onto ships to be taken back to England and a party commences. The sun is shining, and new supplies have arrived. There are visiting friends from Fort St. James and the rum ration greatly appreciated. The voyageurs have worked hard these past two weeks and need to let off some steam. They set up their tents, taking a vacation before the long hard journey home commences – with every rough river and portage along the way.
The river teems with salmon and in the fall the wild cranberries are ready to be harvested. The pink salmon and the red berries become new sources of profit for the HBC. Nearly 2000 acres worth of farm is planted, and again bounty is upon us.
However, things are not always as they seem. In 1858, 30,000 gold miners make their way through our shared lands to mine and pan for gold from the life-giving Fraser River. These men are brutal and unruly; we must find a way to control them. With the help of Queen Victoria, from the land of New Caledonia is birthed a new British Colony – the colony of British Columbia. We hoot and holler and celebrate the arrival of the Royal Engineers, whose presence alone serves to help calm those of us who call this place our home...
You can investigate the past and the origins of British Columbia with a visit to Fort Langley National Historic Site. Watch programs led by their interpretive staff and explore their historic buildings. Looking for a one of a kind experience? Fort Langley has it all – school programs, birthday parties, event rentals, seasonal overnight accommodation, and of course, special events.
Join them for the Cranberry Festival October 12. Pick up some fresh cranberries for your Thanksgiving feast and browse over 100 vendors in the village of Fort Langley’s biggest event of the year. At Fort Langley National Historic Site, watch a barrel-making demonstration, try cranberry bannock, play the cranberry toss, and more. Save 50% on admission.
Looking for something spookier? Hear the ghost tales of Fort Langley on their Grave Tales Tours, weekends in October. True and terrible tales told at night by their expert storytellers as you walk through the Fort Langley village. Get your tickets in advance! Dates: October 12 (7 & 8 pm); October 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27 (7 pm, 8 pm, 9 pm); Oct 28, 29, 30 (7 & 8 pm). $15.10 per person. Age 17+ only.
Check out their new Youth Edition of the Grave Tales Tours. Gather around the fire inside the old Hudson’s Bay Company fort for some ghost stories and fun in this family-oriented version of their popular Grave Tales. Geared toward older youth and teens, accompanied by a parent. Reservations required, adult supervision required for youth age 15 and under. $11.70 per person. October 26-30, at 6 pm.
Gear up for Halloween with them October 26-27, from1 pm – 4 pm. Trick-r-treat at Fort Langley National Historic Site, and discover surprises along the way! Watch as “Go Bonkers” twists balloon surprises, check out “Mike’s Critters” creepy crawly creatures, decorate a pumpkin, explore the Spooky Servants’ Quarters and much more! The Full Barrel Café will be serving up a Halloween menu. Geared toward families with children age 10 and younger. Age 2 and under free, age 3-16 $6.30, age 17+ $11.70. Free for valid annual pass holders.
November 16, 10 am – 5 pm, Parks Canada and the Guyanese Canadian Cultural Association of BC invite you to celebrate BC’s 155th birthday. Taste delicious food and hear a steel band performance. Douglas Day marks the day on November 19, 1858, when James Douglas proclaimed British Columbia a Crown Colony in Fort Langley’s Big House. This year’s celebration highlights James Douglas’s Guyanese roots. Experience the warmth of the Caribbean at the birthplace of BC! Regular admission fees apply; free for annual pass holders.
Heritage Holiday at the Fort, December 21 - January 5, 10 am - 5 pm. Get away from the holiday bustle and make memories with your family and friends at the fort! Enjoy a traditional holiday atmosphere, crafts, and children's activities. (Closed Dec. 25, 26, Jan 1) Regular admission fees apply; free for annual pass holders.
Jan 25-26, 2014 10 am – 5 pm, Vive les Voyageurs Experience the rich French-Canadian culture that made Fort Langley so vibrant. Taste French-Canadian food, try your hand at finger weaving, sing a voyageur song, and participate in other cultural activities. Regular admission fees apply; free for annual pass holders.
Sleep over in Vancouver’s only fort. Let the kids finally run free, protected from the outside world within the fort walls. Follow the Fraser River to Fort Langley to experience the Fur Trade first hand. Come and stay in one of their oTENTiks - a cross between a cozy cabin and a tent, furnished with six bunk beds, table and chairs. With a total of five tents sleeping six each, they can accommodate up to 30 people at a time.
Explore the Fort during the day and relax in the quiet after hours. Try out gold panning, play hide and seek amongst the historic buildings and watch the sunset from the bastions. Cook your dinner on one of their fabulous BBQs or head into town for some grub if you are truly on vacation. Take an evening stroll through the town or along the Fraser River. Bring your evening to a close with stories and songs around the campfire, and board games in the Cafe.
The next morning, enjoy a complimentary breakfast supplied by the Full Barrel Cafe, greet their animals as their rooster announces a new day, and enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Golden Ears Mountains. Learn more about the birthplace of BC from their interpretive programs that run throughout the day.
Bring your bikes along to explore the Fort-to-Fort Trail – don’t have one? Rent one from their local Fort Cyclery.
Reserve your oTENTik experience for this season until October 13, or plan ahead for next year’s season – May 1 to Oct 12, 2014. The cost of renting an oTENTik is $120 per unit (five units available, with six bunks each), plus the cost of daily admission at $19.60 per family.
To book your stay, call their bookings co-ordinator at 604-513-4799. For more information on the oTENTiks and their amenities, see their website: http://www.pc.gc.ca/fortlangley.