Cultural Heritage Tourism Handbook - LinkBC

Newfoundland & Labrador ShowcaseA Blend of Outdoor/Indoor VisitorExperiencesThe festival features entertainment, culinary arts, outdooractivities, storytelling, and learning experiences. It centreson the hospitable nature of the community, for whichNewfoundland is renowned worldwide. It blends experiencesincluding:• Guided daytime walks in spectacular Gros Morne NationalPark.• Afternoon workshops with artists and photographers.• Evening entertainment by talented musicians andstorytellers.• A mix of authentic venues including churches, halls,theatres and pubs throughout Norris Point.During its short existence, Trails, Tales and Tunes has becomea premier event in the province. Audiences have grownto nearly 9,000 visitors in recent years, as has the scope ofthe festival. Tourism businesses are reporting a remarkableincrease in revenue during what is normally a very slow time.The Birth of a Community FestivalShirley Montague is the Creative/Artistic Director of thefestival. An award-winning folk singer raised in Labrador(and proud Norris Point resident), Shirley recently spokewith with Dr. Nancy Arsenault, who prepared a case studyon the festival. “I would say the most important element isthe community support,” said Shirley.” It would be a differentexperience if the community didn’t embrace it. We can’t everlose sight of that, it’s the community and all the businesseswithin it. Everyone has taken ownership of the festival.”Trails, Tales& Tunes FestivalNatural Beauty Complements an AuthenticCultural ExperienceThe picturesque community of Norris Point, Newfoundland, isa fishing town surrounded by ruggedly beautiful Gros MorneNational Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Their Trails, Talesand Tunes community festival takes place in May, typicallyoverlooked as a marketable time of year in the region.Extending the SeasonThe festival steering committee realized the event couldextend the tourism season in the region. They discussednurturing a sense of place through elements including:• The arts, story-telling, and song and dance.• Community well being and health (trail walking) andcivic pride/spirit.• A shared appreciation for cultural and historical ties tothe geographical setting.• The changing of the season from cold winter to thewelcome promise of spring.The marrying of these concepts has brought Trails, Talesand Tunes alive.Committee Work and CommunityCollaborationNot resting on their accomplishments to date, the Committeeis nurturing longer-term growth by developing additionalpartnerships, increasing volunteerism, and exploringstaffing/committee succession plans, all of which ensurethe overall sustainability of the festival.A set of principles help guide the work of the committee:• Trails, Tales and Tunes is foremost a Norris Point/Gros MorneFestival aimed at engaging all ages and utilizing facilitieswithin the Town of Norris Point.• Trails, Tales and Tunes is committed to the culture of theregion and showcasing the talents and traditions of ourpeople.• The Festival encompasses all aspects of entertainment.• Walking is encouraged throughout the Festival.• The majority of entertainers/presenters will be drawn from theregion defined as the West Coast of Newfoundland and Labrador(both short and long term residents, as well as people visiting/passing through).• Additional entertainers/presenters may be recruited from otherareas of the province and beyond.• The Festival will strive to present new performers every year.• Every effort will be made to include anyone who happens uponthe Festival and requests to present.• The Festival is committed to showcasing lesser-known performerswho are part of the cultural fabric of the province.• Al performers/presenters will be paid for their efforts and allexpenses incurred will be covered by the Festival.• The Festival is committed to maintaining a strong local audienceand ensuring that some of the main events have reasonableadmission fees.• Admissions to events provided by local businesses and communityorganizations will be determined by the owners/operators.Shifting Perspectives: Planning and TrainingThe Gros Morne Cooperating Association (GMCA) is a non-profitthat supports volunteers in Gros Morne’s environmental educationand conservation programs, recreation activities, and park initiatives.They also manage the Gros Morne Institute for Sustainable Tourism(GMIST), offering experiential travel training to the tourism industryin Atlantic Canada. Since 2005, community leaders, musicians,committee members, and cooperating businesses have participatedin the Edge of the Wedge Experiential Travel Training. What hasemerged is a multi-community understanding, in partnership withFind out more: www.trailstalestunes.cathe national park, of the visitor potential for the area and new waysto work together.Dr. Arsenault, one of three educators who has delivered training inthe region for over a decade, observes: “This is not a typical tourismfestival but a true community festival. The entire town is involved ineither the festival or by being a wonderful community host.”The event meets increasing demand for experiential travel and thedesire for visitors to connect with local people, enjoy authenticexperiences, and take home memories.Given the longevity of the training, people like Shirley Montague,hotels, artists, parks staff, and other area stakeholders have a commonappreciation of how to work together to meet the needs of thevisitor. Says Arsenault: “We’ve had the privilege of working with thesepeople for years, and have seen shifts in how the community andregion collaborates–the results speak for themselves.”52 53