By Chloe Hannan, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Guysborough Journal
GUYSBOROUGH: Organized by a team of volunteers, Come Home Week (July 18–27) featured dozens of family events, including BBQs, music nights, sports tournaments, drop-in crafts, and even a ninja warrior course and an Amazing Race-style challenge. This year’s celebrations also include a new birthday celebration that has been 240 years in the making.
“Honestly, I don’t think Guysborough has ever had a birthday party,” said Chris Cook, director of the Guysborough Historical Society. “We needed something for the community to do during Come Home Week and, I just said, we’re pretty well bang on to our 240th birthday. So, why not?”
That idea quickly turned into a full-fledged event hosted by the Old Courthouse Museum. The party included a barbecue, live music from Neil DeCoff and Danny Rogers, birthday cake, and a special appearance by Sir Guy Carleton – the British military leader after whom Guysborough got its name. Carleton, portrayed by a costumed re-enactor, delivered a lighthearted but historically rich address to mark the occasion.
“We’re going to have a good birthday cake and sing Guysborough ‘Happy Birthday’,” said Cook. “The highlight will be the guest appearance of the namesake of Guysborough, Sir Guy Carleton … It’s a bit humorous but also has historical importance.”
Cook noted that while the official birthday traces back to its roots in 1785, the region’s history runs much deeper.
“The community of Guysborough, the name is 240 years old, but there’s been habitation here since the 1630s. We’re really celebrating the coming of the wave of settlers that created the village as to what it looks like today. But we had Mi’kmaq inhabitation in Salmon River for centuries. We had French here in the 1630s and other fishermen coming and going long before that, too.”
Municipality of the District of Guysborough (MODG) Warden Paul Long said the event is more than just a celebration of the past, but also a chance to reflect on how the village continues to evolve.
“For 240 years, the village of Guysborough has served as a gathering place that has attracted settlers and visitors,” Long said. “While we set the table for future economic developments that will attract people to live and work in our community, it is important that we maintain that forward-looking vision that our ancestors and immigrants had as well.”
Long credited the community’s success to volunteers and a shared sense of purpose.
“Each year the volunteers with the Come Home Week society offer a wide range of exciting events to keep young and old on the go all week,” he said. “From the old traditional activities to the newer events that you only thought you would see on TV; there is something for everyone.”
Among this year’s events was a July 19 performance of Ekphrasis, a collaboration between Mulgrave Road Theatre and ArtWorks East, pairing 10 visual artists with 10 writers. Jack Leonard, president of ArtWorks East, said it’s the fifth time for the event, and a powerful example of local creative energy. They will also co-host a community art project on Saturday, July 26 in partnership with the Guysborough & Area Endometriosis Support Group and Antigonish Women’s Resource Centre, and a seashell painting class on Wednesday, July 23.
“The participants are going to work on a collaborative art project,” said Leonard. “We’re excited.”
Leonard added that ArtWorks East recently received operational assistance from the Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage, which is a welcome development for the region’s small arts organizations.
“This will smooth out our operations and give us a bit more stability from year to year.”
As Come Home Week entered its final days, Warden Long encouraged residents and visitors to get involved and make the most of it.
“The most exciting aspect of any community event is to see the residents coming out and enjoying what their community has to offer,” he said. “Guysborough is very fortunate to have a lot of great volunteers to go along with an amazing recreational staff that melds everything together … Take the opportunity to meet and greet old friends and new neighbours.”