Now in its fifth year, the Fernie Chautauqua & Fall Fair is a four-day celebration of music, arts, heritage, cuisine and community, held in Historic Downtown Fernie. The event is a revitalized and invigorated version of the traditional Dominion Chautauqua of the early 20th century, set against the spectacular B.C. Rocky Mountains.
Enjoy live music throughout the weekend, with buskers performing on Fernie’s main street Thursday to Sunday, and at the Chautauqua stage on Saturday and Sunday. Local favourites including the Hark Raving Sirens, The Audielles, Rick Miller, Rachel Behan, Emilie Fitton and the Doggone Brothers will be joined by party acts including Steamboat Vacation and Between Covers for lots of fun late into the evening. Friday’s Chautauqua Picnic and Dance is a chance for the community and visitors alike to gather and kick off the weekend’s celebrations in earnest. Families will find plenty to be entertained by in the Chautauqua tent, with live magic, puppet shows and musical performances throughout the day on Saturday.
Celebrate arts and heritage with a series of engaging events designed to peek inside the lives and work of artists, artisans and heritage organizations. Immerse yourself in traditional art and crafts on the Chautauqua grounds with ‘painting en plein air’ demonstrations and art installations or join members of the Ktunaxa for insights and stories on Indigenous life. Visit selected Doors Open locations to explore buildings not usually open to the public, learn about the region’s history at guest Museum booths, and discover more about heritage restoration efforts underway in Fernie today through heritage walking tours hosted by Heritage Fernie.
Taste the bounty of harvest season when you sample from the food truck vendors lining the street fronting the Chautauqua grounds on Saturday and Sunday. The popular Pancake Breakfast returns on Saturday morning, and the Fall Fair on Sunday features a cornucopia of homestyle culinary creativity with blue ribbon contests in a variety of kitchen pursuits. Creativity is curated at a fusion of art and cuisine on the Art after Dark Tour on Saturday evening. This four-hour extravaganza is hosted at a series of art locations, each featuring unique sound and culinary creations (advance tickets are required and are available through the website or by calling the Fernie Museum). The Chautauqua Cultural Dinner will close the festival on Sunday evening, and will feature the history of the Sheik community, who were integral to the Elk Valley’s early forestry industry. The cultural dinner is a one of Chautauqua’s most popular events, featuring a delicious meal and a chance to learn more about, and reflect on, Fernie’s founding communities.
The Fernie Chautauqua & Fall Fair welcomes one and all to a communion of friends and family. Whether it’s your first time visiting Fernie or a homecoming with family and friends, special room rates at our partner hotel will help make the Chautauqua & Fall Fair weekend a real treat.
Fernie’s Chautauqua & Fall Fair
501 3rd Avenue
(250) 423-7016
Thursday, September 19 – Sunday September 22, 2018. Hours vary.
Chautauqua event admission: $0-$70
Special hotel rates at: www.parkplacelodge.com
ferniechautauqua.com
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