Month: April 2020

The Twilight Concert series in Heritage Park have been going on annual from June through August for more than a decade. They have featured several different genres of music as described a least in 2009 ranging from country music to Scottish dancing and beyond. These concerts have given attendees a taste of different cultural creative elements.  It gives them  an easy means of accessing the different genres in an entertaining manner. As with other events in Heritage Park and different kinds of interactions attendees can be exposed to a variety of different aspects of cultures . What better way of sparking conversations about culture in general than an entertaining series of events during the twilight hours of summer in comfortable weather that can be enjoyed during the late spring and during  that season?

The Mission Folk Music Festival runs annually in July. Various performers from all over Canada and from cultures around the world have performed their music for more than 20 years in the Heritage Park. Some of the music ranges from African folk music to French Canadian folk music. There have also been performances from Indigenous peoples of this region and from throughout Canada putting on display their uniquie musical style. There has also been Celtic Musical Performances which are entertaining as well as the others mentioned above.  The Friday night concerts/ performances are free to the public to listen and watch but the other two days, Saturday, and Sunday are open only to people that have paid for the passes to attend. It is a big draw to Mission with some attendees coming from all sorts of places in the Lower Mainland and one can assume from around Canada and perhaps as well the states of Washington and Oregon. Its a major tourist draw for Mission and a means of gathering more interest in Heritage Park and Mission itself.

Generally in such a setting conversations have one can infer, or will be had over the various different cultures on display. One can assume that people have talked about their own culture and its traditional or folk music and the traditions and creativity of their cultures in general.  Stories have been told by the peformers before and after performances to give a deeper context to the music they have played. A performer would state where they are from, what got them interested in the paticular instruments they play and why the paticular music style has been played for say centuries and passed down from generation to generation.

Attending at least a few concerts should be essential just for entertainment but also a free education on cultures and music that may have been out of the ordinary for attendees or not known about at all. It is a stimualting experience and very pleasant to hear and see.