It’ll be a night of good music, food and drink as the 1799 Gala celebrates 225 years since Rocky Mountain House was first established as a fur trade fort.
Organized by the Confluence Heritage Society, the 18+ event was originally slated to take place at the Rocky Mountain House National Historic site, but will now be held Aug. 24 at the Lou Soppit Community Centre (4733 54 Ave.) in Rocky Mountain House.
Melissa Reis, 1799 Gala committee member says it’ll be a beautiful gala that celebrates all that Rocky Mountain House has become over the last 225 years, featuring entertainment from Indigenous and Metis performers, as well as Scottish highland dancers and a live jazz band.
During the evening, organizers say attendees will enjoy a three course meal with a menu that reflects cuisine popular in 1799, starting with Indigenous appetizers and ending with a European Yorkshire pudding and dessert. Attendees will also receive one can of commemorative limited edition 1799 Scotch Ale brewed by Rival Trade Brewing Co.
Organizers say the aptly titled 1799 brewed by Rival Trade Brewing Co. is a wee heavy scotch ale that embodies the spirit of resilience and adventure that defined the fur trade, and features deep caramel notes, a hint of smokiness, and a warming finish reflecting the rugged landscape and enduring legacy of Rocky.
The event will also feature an auction of many different items including art by local artist Skyler Langendoen, and will will be auctioned off to raise funds for the Confluence Heritage Society.
“The Confluence Heritage Society hosts so many things in our community,” says Reis. “They host the Canada Day Celebrations, they’ve done Fright Night at the Site. They’re all about community and all about bringing western history to our visitors that come out here.”
Reis adds all proceeds from the 1799 Gala will support the hiring of about five youth for summer student positions at the Rocky Mountain House National Historic Site.
Front entrance of the Rocky Mountain House National Historic Site visitor centre. (Photo by 94.5 Rewind Radio/Jordan Rein)
Reis says the students welcome visitors, run the front desk, and perform puppet shows on the history of David Thompson, Charlotte Small, and the Rocky Mountain House fur trade, ensuring the continued engagement and education of the community.
“It’s all about providing youth really good employment opportunities to grow into their future with,” says Reis. “It’s all about supporting the organization but also celebrating the community.”
Since its inception in the early 1980s, Reis says the mission of the Confluence Heritage Society is to support the pursuit of cultural awareness, ecological preservation and historical knowledge to better the community at large.
Additionally, Reis says the Society works in tandem with Parks Canada staff to give visitors a sense of arrival for people to fully enjoy the area and learn about its rich history
Click here to get your tickets.
(Photo by Confluence Heritage Society)
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