The world may seem a little unsteady right now but there is one thing you can count on to put a smile on your face.
You can get a plate of beans, some great music and a good time on May Day in Cumberland. The 2019 Cumberland May Day Bean Dinner is happening at the Cumberland Cultural Centre on Wednesday, May 1.
One of the purposes of celebrating May Day, the International Workers Day, is to remember not only the hardships and the dangers the Cumberland coal miners and their families faced, but also the incredible spirit they showed in struggling for better conditions in the mines and in their communities. The modest meal of beans and coleslaw represents the hardships, but also the coming together of family and friends. The music of Mark Hellman celebrates that sense of community.
Read also: May Day Parade a Cumberland tradition
Hellman is a musical theatre performer from Victoria who has played for audiences all over Canada from the Festival of the Americas in Montreal to the Coombs Country Fair. Recently, he brought his play about Pete Seeger called 鈥�The Incompleat Folksinger鈥� to the Merville Hall where he had the audience enthralled. His repertoire is much broader and he will be playing a variety of songs for your enjoyment. Visit Hellman鈥檚 bio and some of his music at
The Cumberland May Day Bean Dinner is an undertaking of the Campbell River, Courtenay and District Labour Council, and all funds raised this year will go toward the Cumberland Museum and Archives.
Tickets are $20, available at the Cumberland Museum. You can also reserve your table by phoning the museum at 250-336-2445. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.
For more information, contact Brian at 250-898-4909.
