OYEZ!!                     OYEZ!!                     OYEZ!!

 

M’Ladies and M’Lords…it is my pleasure and honour to welcome all 63 Town Criers and 36 Escorts, from 7 countries, who will compete at this years 8th World Championship. I invite you to visit our web site for a complete list of all competitors. We are busy planning and preparing and are amazed at how much has, once again, been accomplished in such a short time. An almost final schedule is enclosed – final copy including an Official Criers Guidebook will be presented to you when you arrive in Sidney. The Billet Team will again personally meet you when you arrive at the Victoria Int’l Airport or Vancouver Island Ferry Terminal at Swartz Bay.

 

Rev. Steve Hershey, and I, invite interested criers to join us again at the Sunday service preceding the competition – St. Paul’s United Church, 10:00am. Other churches will be listed in your guidebook, along with other important community information and location of services.

 

I am a member of the Sidney-by-the-Sea Rotary Club and invite visiting Rotarians or any one else to join me at our breakfast meetings, at the Glenn Meadows Golf Club, each Thursday morning at 7am. We also have a Kiwanis Club and Lions Club and branches of most other International Organizations for you to attend. Both the Army, Navy, Airforce Veterans and the Royal Canadian Legion have lounges open daily and welcome veterans and associates.

 

Don’t forget to book your airline flight all the way through to the Victoria Airport…the Vancouver airport is not where you want to end up

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Remember to bring something appropriate for the Hobo Banquet if room in your suitcase permits!! I look forward to greeting everyone in August…safe journey to all.

 

Bert Stevens

Host Crier

8th World Town Criers Championship

Schedule of Events

 

Monday, August 16

 

Opening Ceremonies

7:00pm

Sidney Bandstand – at the foot of Beacon Ave.

(criers and escorts please arrive by 6:30pm)

A parade will follow to Sanscha  Hall for a Civic Reception

Transportation will be available for those criers unable to walk.

 

Tuesday, August 17

 

First Cry – Home Town Greeting

10:00am

Sidney Bandstand – at the foot of Beacon Ave.

 

Native Salmon Barbecue Dinner – at the Bandstand

5:00pm

 A traditional Native Feast with Entertainment

 

Wednesday, August 18

  

Open day for sight seeing or getting your business cry ready

 

Hobo Banquet

6:00pm

Hosted by Youth Unlimited & held at the Historical Artifacts

Train rides, games, prizes for best Hobo costumes!!!

 

 

Thursday, August 19

 

Second Cry – Re-Enactment Cry

10:00am

Sidney Bandstand – at the foot of Beacon Ave.

 

Sidney Business Association ‘Street Faire’

5:00pm to 8:00pm

 

Sidney by the Sea Rotary Club Dinner at B.C. Aviation Museum

7:00pm

 

Friday, August 20

 

Open Day for touring, etc.

 

Steak Barbecue and Casino Night at Royal Canadian Legion

7:00pm

 

Saturday, August 21

 

 Final Cry – Business Cry

10:00am

Sidney Bandstand – at the foot of Beacon Ave.

 

Dinner around town sponsored by various local restaurants

 

Talent Show

7:00pm

Sanscha Hall

 

 

 

 

Sunday, August 22

 

Awards Brunch

9:30am

Sanscha Hall

(Gift exchange 9:30 to 10:30; brunch 10:30 to 12:00; Awards at Noon)

 

Final Parade

1:00pm

 

Closing Ceremonies

1:30pm

Sidney Bandstand – at the foot of Beacon Ave.

 

Bandstand Matinees – a weekly community musical event

2:00pm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Competition Cry

 

The three cries shall be as follows:

1st Cry -‘Home Town/Welcome Cry’, describing why a citizen of our community might want to visit your hometown and an opportunity for you to bring greetings from your community to ours.

2nd Cry‘Re-Enactment Cry’ – similar to that which may have been done by a crier in your community in the 1700’s. If your community didn’t have a crier back then, make believe they did!!

3rd Cry‘Local Business Cry’ – when you arrive here, your Welcome Kit will contain the name and contact information for a local business. You will make contact and write an advertisement for that business. Full details will be supplied upon arrival.

 

 All cries are to be no less than 75 words and no more than 100, including the OYEZ’s and the Loyalty Greeting. The three Oyez’s will count as one word the ‘Loyalty Greeting’ will also count as one word as will all community names (e.g. - City of London) and all dates whether numbered (August 16, 1999) or written (the 16th day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand, nine hundred and ninety nine.

 

 A copy of your first two cries must be forwarded to this office by August 10, 1999. Points will be deducted for cries in excess of the maximum number of words…said points to be deducted on a daily basis. Deduction will be a five-point penalty and one point per word.

 

A typing service will be available at the Chamber of Commerce office for Business Cries, if you need it, until Thursday August 19 at 4:30pm. The deadline for submitting this final cry will be Friday, August 20th at noon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Awards

 

The competition awards are designed and produced, once again, by Mr. Charles Elliott of the Coast Salish Nation. Charles is well known as a West Coast native artist and carver and his works are in private collections around the world.

 

1st Place – 4’ Carved Talking Stick (valued at $1500.00)

2nd Place – Painted Native Drum (valued at $650.00)

3rd Place – Limited Edition Print (valued at $250.00

4th to 10th Place – 1’ Carved & Mounted Talking Stick (valued at $150.00 ea.)

Best Dressed/Most Authentic – limited edition print (valued at $250.00)

 

 

AHGTC Host Mandate & Obligations

 

The following is a summary of the mandate that the Ancient and Honourable Guild has instructed us to adhere to and is the same as 1997;

 

- accommodation for crier and escort on a B&B basis.

- one additional meal per day which shall be a hot meal (i.e. dinner)

- basic transportation, being delivery to the first official event of the day and pick up after the last official event of the day. This does not include pick up after a late night of carousing!!

 

When you arrive you will be given a handbook and competition guide, which will contain numerous discount and half price coupons for other meals and entertainment.

 

 

Billet Information

 

You are billeted to stay with:

 

 

Please call (area code is 250) and let them know your travel arrangements and where you will be staying prior to checking in with them, if you are arriving before August 16th.

 

Also, please phone, fax or e-mail us the following ASAP:

 

Date of Arrival in Sidney: __________________________________

Time of Arrival: ____________________________ AM: ___ PM: ___

Airline (or Ferry): ________________________________________

Flight Number: ___________________________________________

Confirmed reservations at: ___________________________________

 

-AND-

If you are in the Talent Show and require Props PLEASE list exactly what you would like:

 

_________________________________________________________

Well that’s pretty much it for now. Time is flying and preparations are being made and soon we will be once again saying….

 

 

‘Welcome to Sidney…We still have it all’