Saturday is National Historic Places Day and Penticton has not one, not two, but three places to for residents to visit and appreciate for their historic effect on the community.
The Penticton Arts Council partnered with the Penticton Museum and Archives and the SS Sicamous Society to offer family-friendly events throughout the day at the Leir House Cultural Centre, the Penticton Museum and Archives and the SS Sicamous. Residents who visit all three locations, in any order and collect stamps from the organizers will be entered for a chance to win a prize pack.
In addition, the National Trust for Canada is hosting a Selfie Contest in honour of National Historic Places Day. Residents are asked to take a selfie at the historic place they are visiting, post it to social media with the hashtag #HistoricPlacesDay and tag the location and the National Trust for Canada. This will enter you for a $1,000 prize for yourself and $1,000 for the place you visited.
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“It’s just about bringing to light some of Penticton’s history. The Leir House sits there and people may know about it, but they may not know the full breadth of the lives that have been lived here and the stories that it holds,” said Bethany Handfield, administrator with the arts council. “And same with the Sicamous, they’re very visual landmarks but it’s nice to know a deeper history about them. Since this event is a national event, it ties into our Canadian pride as well too with our shared heritage.”
At 11 a.m. on July 6, stop by the Leir House Cultural Centre, located at 220 Manor Park Ave., to catch a free performance by Sax Among Friends. At 1 p.m. the Penticton Arts Council will be hosting a youth songwriting camp performance so campers can show off their hard work.
Everyone is also invited for en plein air painting on the grounds and attendees are encouraged to pack a picnic to eat at the Leir House. The current exhibition at the centre is “Our House,” so don’t miss your chance to tour the historic centre.
From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., residents can learn the history of healthcare in Penticton at the Penticton Museum and Archives, located at 785 Main St., thanks to its ongoing exhibit, The Spirit of a Caring Community. Attendees can also take in the Winterscapes Art Show at the SS Sicamous, located at 1099 Lakeshore Dr. W, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
“This event is for newcomers, for families, for children—for anybody really, because whether you’re a newcomer to Canada itself or just to the area, you might not even know about these different places and the significance of them to our town,” said Handfield. “And even with the Sicamous and its context as well to our greater area, so that’s why we partnered with the museum and archives because they’re doing a whole bunch of research for us. So we’ll have posters around the Leir House talking about history over the ages.”
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