During the last week of summer we tried to pack in as many "fun" activities as possible. We did the CNE and the Toronto Island. We also made our way, for the first time, to Black Creek Pioneer Village. Now, truth be told for a few summers in University I dressed up as a pioneer...my summer job. I worked at the Pickering Museum Village and it was truly the best summer job ever. While my sister sweated her way through summer working in a machine shop - I made stews, drank lemonade and wove rugs. Pretty awesome. Our little museum village was very quiet, so the visitors were few and far between. Although, spending time with the guests was fun too - they were always eager to learn about the pioneer life.
What I learned through our trip to Black Creek was that my children were fascinated by pioneers. The museum is made up of about fifteen buildings; a school house, a blacksmith shop, a mill and a town hall were amoung the buildings. It was a beautifully sunny day. The staff at the museum made our visit memorable. The girls, we went with my best friend and her daughter, played pioneer games.
Tried on different horse shoes in the blacksmith shop.
Learned about how pioneers used plants to dye their fabrics.
And, spent some time with some seriously noisy sheep.
In the end we had spent the entire day at the village. We even stopped for lunch. This trip inspired my eldest daughter to have a "pioneer" style birthday party this year!
This weekend, Saturday September 17th, is Black Creek's Annual Pioneer Festival. This festival includes a quilt auction, horse drawn carriage rides, sausage making, baked goods and more. Black Creek has an historic brewery, where they offer tours and tastings of their traditional ales. There is something for everyone in your family. Check out their Event page to learn more about the upcoming events. I think we might have to checkout "Christmas by Lamplight"
