DICKSON – With Dickson being a Danish settlement, Dickson Store Museum likes to incorporate the culture and its traditions into some of the exhibitions, programs, and special events.
For the past three years the museum has put on a fall supper and it serves a traditional Danish meal of roast pork, fresh roasted vegetable, red cabbage, rye bread and apple cake for dessert.
When the museum caught wind of the Harald Haugaard band from Denmark we tried to book them in 2016 for the museum's 25th anniversary thinking the evening would truly be a “Taste of Denmark”.
Unfortunately they could not make it but we were asked to keep in touch.
Last February the manager received an email that they were coming to Alberta and could do a concert for the museum on Friday, Sept. 15, 2017.
The board immediately took to that idea and passed a motion to bring them here on that day. We also decided we would hold the fall supper at the same time. When Dickson Store Museum booked the concert Droplets of Time to be performed by Helene Blum, Harald Haugaard and their band, we knew we were in for a treat. However, we did not know just how much of a treat this would be.
The crystal clear voice of Helene Blum and her storytelling abilities brought the poetry of these songs to life. It was absolutely beautiful.
With Harald Haugaard playing the fiddle, the band not only made fabulous music but also made the instruments speak to the audience. They were not only musicians but they had a great sense of humour that enhanced their performance.
The entire evening was incredible starting right from the decorations that went with a Canada 150 theme. The centrepieces were red and white roses with Canada 150 flags placed in a vase on a red table runner with doily. Each place setting had a handheld flag at it. The entire hall had fresh flowers and potted mums as decorations.
The meal that was prepared by our community volunteers was delicious and hats off to all who prepared this wonderful dinner. The band made comments about the delicious pot roast as they called it and that they would gladly come back next time we were serving it.
They were also taken back and in awe of how the community came together to put on the event and the people who came out to support it. The silent auction was also a huge success, thanks to our donors, sponsors, Marianne Nicholson, and Tammy and Lynne Morck who worked so hard to put this all together. We are still recuperating and taking Advil for our tired backs, legs, and feet now that it is over but we are all so pleased with the success of the event.
The museum will be putting on a couple of more events in November - the annual Julestue Scandinavian Bazaar and a dinner and dessert theatre.
Check these out on our Facebook page and on our website - www.dicksonstoremuseum.com - as well as in the newspapers.
In closing this was our thought - taken from Disney's Robin Hood - when the event was over “Oo-de-lally, Oo-de-lally, Golly, What A Day!”
Sharon Lightbown is the manager of the Dickson Store Museum.
