From the Sault Ste. Marie Public Library archives:
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The first Algoma Fall Festival was held in Sault Ste. Marie between September 21 (the first day of fall) and October 7 in 1973.
The aim was to encourage higher standards and broader appreciation for the visual and performing arts in our city.
The Fall Festival was viewed as a pilot project, as it marked the first cooperative venture of the Ontario Arts Council and a new government department, Festival Ontario that was created to encourage community art festivals.
The Ontario Arts Council persuaded Festival Ontario to focus all of its energy on the Sault Ste. Marie experiment initially, before jumping into other communities.
The festival was seen as a city-wide breakthrough of social barriers providing all residents with an opportunity to see well-known performers and artists.
During the first festival, the calendar of events included film, music, science, theatre, dance, fashion, crafts and visual arts located across the city at Sault College, Memorial Gardens, Windsor Hotel, the Sault Ste. Marie Public Library, Central United Church, Armoury Theater, Clayton Auditorium, Odeon Theater, Korah Collegiate and Etienne Brule School.
Popular features included the Royal Ontario Museum’s (ROM) “Museumobile” containing displays of fossils for public viewing and Zoltan Szabo’s watercolour paintings featuring the Algoma area.
One of the highlights of the first Festival was the display of 31 paintings from the Group of Seven estimated at a value of $750,000 (at that time).
They were driven in from Toronto, guarded by the Ontario Provincial Police and private security guards.
The art was set up in the Centennial Room at the Sault Ste. Marie Public Library for viewing during the Festival.
The Algoma Arts Festival Association, the presenter of the Algoma Fall Festival was incorporated in 1972 and celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2012.
Today, 43 years later, the mission of the Algoma Arts Festival Association is still to enhance life for the people of our northern community by bringing to them the experience of excellence in the visual and performing arts.
Many of Canada’s iconic artists and performers have participated in the Algoma Fall Festival over the years making it a highlight each fall for local residents.
This years’ calendar of events includes the Festival of Learning, an arts outreach and education program.
Professional artists share their expertise with children, teens and learners of all ages through performances, concerts, hands on workshops and master classes.
The Festival is continuing its Group of Seven theme again this year with the screening of the Northern Ontario premier of White Pine Pictures’ Painted Land: In Search of the Group of Seven.
This feature-length documentary film follows the journey to discover the locations where some of Canada’s most iconic images were created.
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Each week, the Sault Ste. Marie Public Library and its Archives provides SooToday readers with a glimpse of the city’s past.
Find out more of what the Public Library has to offer at www.ssmpl.ca and look for more Remember This? columns here.
