Old world clothing and cannons: Fall Rendezvous brings Sault's history to life

Locals and tourists of all ages are currently enjoying the annual Fall Rendezvous at the Ermatinger Clergue National Historic Site.

This year’s Rendezvous ran from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and continues from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

The annual Fall Rendezvous is a rich historical and cultural look at the Sault and area’s Indigenous people, French traders, British troops and early Canadians.

Visitors can interact with over 30 reenactors dressed in historic period clothing and regalia who display Indigenous arts and crafts, the canoes and tools used by French voyageurs and coureur de bois during the fur trade, the lives of British troops and the women of a bygone era.

“You can read the history in the textbooks but it’s not the same until you see it come to life. The sounds, smells, tastes and of course the visuals of all the regalia and objects on display tell the story,” said Kathy Fisher, Ermatinger Clergue National Historic Site curator.

“They’re all in full regalia and this year we’ve brought back ‘the doctor,’ a surgeon. If you want to see how hard things were in the 19th century you would be thankful for our modern medicine,” Fisher said with a chuckle.

An annual favourite at Fall Rendezvous is reenactors — dressed as British troops from The War of 1812 era — firing the cannon.

“Those reenactors will shoot muskets and fire the cannon on the hour. A special cannon will shoot out candy for children every half hour when there are enough children around,” Fisher said.

Fall Rendezvous — like Rotaryfest, Bon Soo and Bushplane Days — has become a rooted cultural event in Sault Ste. Marie.

“This larger festival has been around since 2009. We had a smaller rendezvous that lasted two days and it wasn’t as big a festival. The fall rendezvous, historically, was the time of year when it was the last big delivery of goods and supplies in the days of the fur trade before winter came. Everyone would rendezvous here and get in their supplies before hunkering down for the winter. We did something small but in 2009 we made it a bigger event just before the commemoration of The War of 1812,” Fisher said.

Elementary school children enjoy visits to the site during Fall Rendezvous and at other times throughout the year. 

Fisher estimated that 4,000 people visit Fall Rendezvous each year, approximately half of them tourists.

“I enjoy seeing people come and enjoy all this experiential learning,” Fisher said.

Admission to Fall Rendezvous is by donation to help preserve the site and its programs.

Beginning with this year’s event, visitors during and after Fall Rendezvous can download data from five QR codes located at the site to a cell or tablet, that data containing extra historical information about the area’s history in the forms of image, text and audio.

The first five QR codes will link visitors to Indigenous history with subsequent QR codes offering more historical information about European settlers.

The Indigenous historical information has been voice recorded by Brad Robinson of Thrive Tours.

Saturday will include food preparation and food sampling for paying guests by Indigenous chef Zach Keehsig of Owen Sound.

Noodin and Ashley Shawanda are on hand to demonstrate Indigenous mat making.

Indigenous artists Liz Webwikamog and Lucia Laford will also be displaying their work.

More information on Fall Rendezvous can be found online at the event's website.