By Gordon Lambie
This past Sunday the Quebec Anglophone Heritage Network (QAHN) held its sixth annual Heritage Fair in a hybrid model, with guests welcome at the Colby-Curtis Museum in Stanstead as well as online.
“You never know with these events because people are still a little skittish, but It went very well,” said Heather Darch, Project Director with QAHN.
Darch explained that the focus of the event, which is sponsored by QAHN and funded through Canadian Heritage and its Canada Arts, Culture, Heritage and Sports Recovery Program, was to help members of heritage organizations across the province reconnect and share news after two years in which normal networking opportunities disappeared due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Most of the historical societies in the area sent at least one representative either in person or online,” she said, adding that everyone present was more than happy to share news and information about the events and projects going on at their various institutions. “It was a great time to share and catch up,” she added.
Darch explained that the event was also a part of QAHN’s “Reconnecting Heritage” project, which aims to help historical organizations cautiously reopen doors to their local public while reaching new and existing audiences through the online broadcasting expertise gained in the past two years. More than just a social event, the gathering also provided historical societies the chance to spread their technological wings and try out as-yet unused means of reaching the public.
