Oakville's Emancipation Day Picnic Returns to Erchless Estate on August 3
The Emancipation Day Picnic returns to the Oakville Museum at Erchless Estate on Monday, August 3, from 1 to 4pm. It is free, it runs at 8 Navy Street downtown, and the Town of Oakville hosts it alongside the Canadian Caribbean Association of Halton.
The afternoon leans musical. The Real Blues Jammers play with Michael Branton and Yaadie Tree-O, the CCAH Steel Band performs, and Drums et al runs a hands-on African drumming session anyone can join in on. Local vendors set up across the grounds, there is food for sale, and Mr. Iceberg hands out free cold treats. Bring a lawn chair or a picnic blanket.
History sits alongside the music. Oakville was a port of entry on the Underground Railroad, and guided walking tours tracing the stories of the town's early Black residents leave at 1:30 and 3pm. The Freedom, Opportunity and Family exhibit is open inside the museum the same afternoon.
Oakville held its first Emancipation Day Picnic in 1850, when Black Canadians from across Ontario gathered here to mark the end of slavery throughout the British Empire. The town credits the late Veronica Tyrrell with helping revive the modern version of it.
Getting there
The Oakville Museum is at 8 Navy Street, walkable from downtown and reachable by bike or transit. Oakville Transit runs a Sunday schedule on the Civic Holiday, 8am to 8pm. If you drive, check the town's downtown parking map before you go.
Art in the Park runs at Bronte Heritage Waterfront Park the same day, 10am to 5pm, so the holiday can be spent at two ends of the same shoreline.
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