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Billy Barker
Days… The Early Years
By
BB Days "lifer" Ron Paull
How did one of BC's most enduring and popular
family festivals, Billy Barker Days, get its start? Actually… more than a
century ago, when prospector Billy Barker from Cornwall, England struck it
rich, perpetrating the great Cariboo Gold Rush and his namesake town of
Barkerville, just east of Quesnel. Barkerville boomed (and busted) a whole
century before our festival was even conceived. 1958 marked British Columbia's
centenary, and the government of the day bought out the private holdings in
Barkerville and dedicated the old ghost town as a Provincial Park; a
one-hundredth birthday present to the people. Such an unusual gift of a ghost
town to the people perpetrated Barkerville's second rush as British Columbians
and indeed visitors from around the world once again thronged to the gold
fields along Williams Creek.
Jess Ketchum (glasses), young "Lifer" Ron
and Mike Pearce share a moment on the Gold Dust Mall. The lady in the
foreground is Pearl's founder Pearl Martindale.
If you recognize the fellow on the far
left, please let us
know. |
The Town of Quesnel's civic and business leaders
watched as thousands of money-laden tourists passed by their shops, hotels and
restaurants on their way to (and from) Barkerville. In 1973, Quesnel Town
Council, under Mayor Ceal Tingley and the Chamber of Commerce, with Bruce Cran
at the helm, met to discuss ideas to capture some of those tourist dollars as
they passed though the community. As a result, the Billy Barker Days Society
emerged, with Jess Ketchum as its first president. |
One of the first orders of business was to research
Quesnel's historical summer weather data to find the best weather weekend for
our festival, bearing in mind that it should not be held on a holiday weekend,
like Canada Day, when it seemed all Quesnel migrated to Williams Lake for the
big Stampede. It was found the best time for a summer festival in Quesnel would
be the third weekend of July, the same weekend as the Quesnel Rodeo, held at
Bouchie Lake each year. The organizing committee met with the Rodeo Club and
talked them into agreeing to have a few other happenings on rodeo weekend, on
an experimental basis, of course. The small program of events that first Billy
Barker Days, including the Quesnel Rodeo attracted good crowds and the planning
for the next Billy Barker Days started immediately, with eager volunteers
climbing aboard the bandwagon of success.
Billy Barker Days has endured to eventually outlive
the "big" festivals we then envied. Billy Barker Days attracted a steady stream
of notable guests in those early years. PNE president Erwin Swangard and his
entourage of PNE royalty traveled to the Gold Pan City with the PNE parade
float regularly. PGE Railway, and later BC Rail presidents Mac Norris and Paul
McEllicut often attended and treated Quesnel dignitaries to dinner aboard their
fancy dining car. In those early years, BB Days society "Yellow Jacket"
volunteers looked enviously to the big town festivals of Kamloops Spoolmak Days
and Kelowna Regatta. One day we would be there! Funny thing… now that
those big festivals are long gone, it proves the timeless adage that size
really doesn't matter. As long as there are events for the whole family at
little or no cost, and the volunteers are willing to put it all together, with
the support of City and the many sponsors… all under sunny skies… our
little festival will continue to snag those Barkerville bound tourists, but
more importantly, it's a celebration for us here in our hometown and BB Days'
enduring success is testament to the enviable community spirit and makes
Quesnel absolutely the best place to call home.
For more information about Billy Barker and the
Gold Rush visit the Quesnel Museum and Archives, the Tourist Information
Bureau, or the Billy Barker Days Office in LeBourdais Park.
To find out how you can help create BC's #1 Family Festival please
contact the Billy Barker Days Society.
Get involved in
Billy Barker Days
By volunteering you
will help us make sure Billy Barker Days is a continuing success. Download the
Volunteer Form
The Billy Barker Days Society is
always looking for new members. If you're interested leave a message at the
festival office 992-1234, and one of our current members will be in touch with
you.
Billy Barker
Days
Box 4441, Quesnel, BC V2J 3J4 - 701 Carson Ave.
- Beside the Museum
Phone:
1-250-992-1234 • Fax: 1-250-992-5083
E-Mail:
billyb@quesnelbc.com
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