Part Two

After two days of concerts and a fair amount of travelling and with temperatures into the high 30s a day spent in Barrie was very welcome. Even more welcome was a ‘pool party’ laid on at the home of one of our host families. Although not verified by the Guinness Book of World Records, Tewit Band now holds the record for most people in this particular pool at one time: 30…plus some crazy adults!

Meanwhile the ‘official’ HIP delegation was touring City Hall and an exhibition dedicated to Sir Robert Barrie, the man whose heritage brought Harrogate and the City of Barrie together.

During the tour we did notice a couple of very familiar pictures outside the Mayor’s Office.

Readers of Part One will remember that a Yorkshire flag was presented to Barrie at the welcoming reception. By Friday it was proudly flying alongside the flags of Barrie, Ontario and Canada outside City Hall.

In the afternoon we were introduced to the history of Barrie on a walking tour led by Town Crier, Steve Travers. In his inimitable style he told us tales of the characters who had made early Barrie and pointed out features and buildings that we might otherwise have missed.

Barrie has a great waterfront (and a beach!) and it was here that we headed in the afternoon for something new for all the group: dragon boats. We were all asked if we had any experience in a canoe or kayak. ‘Yes’, said some. ‘Well forget all that’, said the instructor! A little light paddling to start and then a tightly fought race (the photo shows the blue boat clearly ahead!) before heading off for a foray along the shoreside and a view of where the Band would be playing on Sunday.

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Saturday was a different experience altogether as the Band set off for Blackdown Cadet Camp. Tewit performed as part of a massed band of 106 musicians for an hour and a half in the middle of a parade of 1,274 cadets in full band uniform on a military parade ground with temperatures over 30 degrees (mid 80s in old money). This certainly required endurance, stamina and concentration which Tewit pulled off effortlessly.

Sir Thomas Ingiliby, who acted as the Reviewing Officer, said afterwards, “I will never forget the faces of the Canadian cadet band when the Tewit Youth Band performed a few numbers in the Band Rooms afterwards: they were absolutely gobsmacked by the musical ability on display and sat open-mouthed during some of the solos.”

Thank you to the Blackdown Cadets for not only making us feel so welcome but also for providing the following video of the visit.

After a visit to the Base Borden Military Museum the Band returned to Barrie.

Look out for part three which will feature Kempenfest and a rather unusual concert venue.

Part One

After a year of fundraising, numerous transatlantic conference calls and a 3,400 mile journey the Tewit Youth Band arrived in Barrie on 31st July. A welcome ceremony was held in Barrie’s City Hall along with a first meeting with our host families who would be looking after us for the next 10 days. A full spread was laid on (the first of many hence the extra pounds put on during the tour) and there were welcomes from Barrie’s International Committee, civic representatives and the town crier. Just a flavour of the fantastic hospitality that Barrie would show us throughout the rest of the tour.

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There was also just enough time to present Barrie with a Yorkshire flag to celebrate Yorkshire Day…but more of this later.

It was an early start on 1st August as we departed for Niagara Falls. Passing through the Niagara vineyards (but not stopping ☹️) and the picturesque town of Niagara-on-the-Lake we stopped off at Brock’s Monument at Queenstown Heights (another reminder of the War of 1812; a subject on which band members would be experts by the end of the tour!). A few brave folk climbed the 235 steps to the top whilst others admired the views from a slightly lower point.

Then on to Niagara Falls and a trip on the ‘Horn Blower’ with a ‘full mist experience’* (plastic pink ponchos provided) and a memorable  way to celebrate Yorkshire Day.

*for ‘full mist’ read ‘absolute drenching’

After sampling the delights of downtown Niagara it was time to move on to St Andrew’s United Church, Niagara for a BBQ supper and the first concert of the tour. An enthusiastic audience enjoyed a full programme by Tewit Youth Band setting a pattern for performances that were to follow.

In the meantime a very special tribute to the Band was being set up nearby. Thanks to the help of a member of the Ontario provincial parliament we were allowed to light up the Falls in Tewit’s colours. What an honour!

The second full day saw a slightly more civilised departure time as we set off for Gravenhurst, ‘the Gateway to the Muskoka Lakes’. This small town’s population almost trebles in the summer with the arrival of townsfolk coming to stay in their cottages. Gravenhurst’s theatre is just one year younger than Harrogate’s and like Harrogate has its own ghost and is called the Opera House, just as Harrogate Theatre used to be. Check out the original seating; notice anything particular?

Trinity United Church was very welcoming (but spot the spelling error) and there was a full house for the concert. There was even dancing in the aisles to some of Tewit’s more upbeat numbers. Thank you to Dan (who visited Harrogate last year with the King Edward Choir) for organising this event.

As the temperatures in Ontario soared the band took a welcome break in Gull Lake under the eagle eye of lifeguard (and friend from last year’s King Edward Choir visit to Harrogate) Elias.

…and so the second full day came to an end…but not before two band members left with their host family in style.

Keep coming back to this website for further pics and accounts of Tewit’s Canadian adventure.

Local, civic representative, Duncan McDonald, meeting with Colin Gibb, Helen Mills and Sir Thomas Ingilby on their current visit to the City with the Tewit Youth Band.

Colin and Helen are respectively the President and Chairman of Tewit Youth Band.

Sir Thomas has been instrumental in developing our close ties with Barrie, with an ancestral link to Sir Robert Barrie after whom the city was named.

(You can find out more by visiting the Barrie section of this website.)

The Tewit Youth Band Summer Tour to Barrie, Ontario in Canada is a blend of performing and sightseeing.

Their first full day blended both with a visit to Niagara Falls  followed by a concert in Niagara. A second concert in Gravenhurst’s Trinity United Church saw a full house  and even dancing in the aisles!

The group is having  a fantastic time with their hosts in Barrie.

Tuesday’s concert at Westside Lutheran Evangelical Church is also virtually sold out.

Well done team Tewit!