The Dewdney Trunk Road Pleasure Faire was held over three days in September 1971, on land that was designated to become a federal penitentiary in Mission, BC.
All photos by Bruce Stewart
The Deluxe group—Alan Clapp, Dan Clemens, Ian Ridgway and Ray Clark—applied for the permit, and Clemens and Ridgway spent the summer deconstructing barns and designing and building a 60-acre village.
“It was a big arts and crafts faire in the true sense,” says Bruce Stewart, photographer. “Leather works, pottery, candles, stuffed dolls, batiking, paintings, sculptures and an assortment of foods, smokes and grilled oysters.”
“Wending one’s way through the woods one comes upon this startling ‘village’ which Deluxe spent all summer long putting together for the Faire,” says Bruce.
There was also lots of music—and Joni Mitchell.
Zip lines were strung from some of the towers and turrets to provide rides for the kids.
“Terry Lyster supervised the building of a custom dome made from two by fours and his wife Carolyn’s tie-dyes and batiks,” says Bruce.
One barn had been rebuilt to resemble a castle.
For a terrific first-hand account of the Mission Pleasure Faire and the three months of building the village see: A Carpenter’s Tale on Joni Mitchell’s website.
See also: The 1972 Dollarton Pleasure Faire
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16 comments on “The Mission Pleasure Faire of 1971”
This is wonderful.
Exactly my sentiment, wonderful.
That is very cool. Have never heard of this before. I know my parents took us to medieval fair in the 70s and I must have been 10 at the time. I do remember Lady Godiva riding around in a white horse. Not sure where in lower mainland it was . But wish I’d been a bit older in those days. Now I just collect things from that era. Lol
Big Folks: $2.00. Kids: Free. The admission price based on the Bank of Canada inflation calculator for 2024: $15.00. Love the homemade barrel drums. I can see where some of the influence for the design of Habitat ’76 came from. I always get a kick out of people who try to push a car or truck with their hands as shown in the photo. You get far greater power by putting your back to the vehicle and using your legs to push.
Wonderful tip, Angus! Putting your back into it, yes! I was photographing nearby, a yurt with all its inhabitants circling around a warm fire when I saw this ‘stuck truck’ and its ‘rescuers’ struggling to get it over that wee bridge. The little dog on the lower right, looking up at them seems he could give them some wise advice! I HAD to get the shot. So many pictures, so little time . . . Cheers
Great shots! Curious if you have any shots of the BC Travellin’ Arts and Craft Faires? ( I was a ‘member’ of that troupe- and was a performer that the PNE Deluxe ‘faire’ with Jack Smith et al)
Wonderful photos!
I have a question about another local faire from that era. Did you go to the Cates Park Village Faire which happened the Summer of 1971. I remember seeing some photographers roaming around with cameras…there was a documentary film made of that faire. I saw it shown on television one time not long after, so I know it exists or existed but I cannot find any trace of it now. Do you know anything about it?
Hi, Janet. Sorry I missed this event at Cates Park, did not attend nor do I know of any documented material, or of anyone else who attended. I, too would surely like to see anything of the event!
Lovely. Thanks.
I was there and Bruce was there and Joni was there… The faire was one of the best of the era. I was building a house nearby that was designed by Terry Lyster. I had to leave the faire early because my German Shepherd puppy Josh insisted on singing along with Joni.
And who could blame him!
Fantastic images♥️
I don’t remember if it was this fair or the Medieval fair that the “Cosmic Space Rangers” were designed as “Security. I recall at one of them a group of people were sitting on the ground at the bottom of a small mound. On my way to deal with someone in distress I leaped over this mound narrowly missing the left hand of a very pretty young lady. To this day I thank the gods for allowing Joni to continue on with her legacy!
Wonderful memories, but the photos don’t capture the mud. It was very muddy.
Oies anyone else remember a wedding, under a yurt type of dome? We sang
” May the long time sunshine upon you, all love surround you, and the pure light within you, guide your way home”
Those are great photos. My ex and I worked on the Faire site for a few months. It was my first paid job in Canada. Go De Luxe!
There was one at Bear Creek in 1971 or 2.. I was there with candle makers. I read palms for barter. It was all so beautiful!