Celebrations and Pageants – Metis Displays its Passions and Personality

A community is on display when it celebrates. Cameras come out when there is a special event. The community puts its leaders on the podium.

This is a black and white photograph of a gathering of people at the celebration of Queen Victoria's Jubilee in 1897. People are gathered outside in the midday sun. In the center of the scene, a man stands overlooking the crowd around him. In the background are some of the stately homes of Metis Beach.

Locals gathered on a field in front of the Cascade Hotel in 1897 to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Queen Victoria’s accession to the throne.

The photographic record offers a rich portrait of special events and celebrations. But not always. We know that Sir Wilfrid Laurier gave a political speech in Metis in 1900 to a large and enthusiastic crowd, but no photos of his brief appearance have survived. The fly past of the R-100 dirigible in July 1930 is found in only a handful of snapshots. Likewise, the surprise visit of Pierre Trudeau in the summer of 1984 is documented in anecdotes, but not on film. Shouldn’t there be more photos of the number one event that summer?

Black and white photograph of twenty-six members of the Mathewson family gathered at their home in Little Metis for a special event. In the center of the group are Mr. and Mrs. Mathewson.

The anniversary of James and Amelia Mathewson were feted in Metis by their family.

The calendar of happenings in Metis has always been very full. Even in the early days of the community, residents complained about there being too much going on. Concerts, exhibitions, performances, sermons by visiting clergymen, cycling races, bridge tournaments, garden parties and golf trophy matches were all part of a summer calendar that filled up the empty squares from one week to the next. Who is responsible for this excess of activity?

Color poster of a cabaret of Petit Metis. The poster shows two characters dancing under a yellow umbrella.The character on the left, a man, is wearing a navy blue jacket, a sky blue high hat and red and blue railed pants. The character on the right, wears a sky blue dress and a red cape tied at the neck with a white ribbon. He wears a black hat with a wide edge and long white gloves. The two figures are holding a sign that reads Minstrel Show Town Hall Friday Aug 16 Little Metis. They are also holding three coloured ribbons.

Amateur theatricals and concerts, like this Minstrel Show, were put on to entertain the summer community.

The historic record is overloaded with special events, too numerous to inventory. What follows is a tasting menu of the banquet of activities held over more than a century of community life.

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