SASKATOON—On Sunday, Feb. 2, the Western Development Museum hosted the 2025 Heritage Festival of Saskatoon, which took hundreds of people back in time. Exhibits and actors wearing period costumes showed what it was like to live in Saskatchewan before and during the arrival of migrant settlers in the prairies and how life in the province, especially in rural farming communities, changed over the years.
Festival Coordinator Raeanne Van Beek told SaskToday that their annual event connects people from the past and teaches them about the history that shaped Saskatchewan, especially the evolution of the City of Saskatoon.
“It [festival] is a great place to unite and build community. It helps us to discover not only who we are personally but who we are as a collective people in Saskatoon. It helps to create that understanding and helps to foster connections in people,” said Van Beek.
“For example, the Ukrainian Museum exhibit, even if we're not Ukrainian, we discover new things and aspects that we have in common with other cultures and whatnot. That's fantastic. It will put you back in time, just seeing all these exhibits.”
She added that 37 cultural exhibits were present in the 37th year of the festival, which they did not plan. However, the best part of the annual event is learning about the past and all the people who helped shape the province, which connects you to the present.
“The thing I like the most about it is that it takes you back in time and brings you to the present. You find out what each group wants to discuss regarding discussion and what they're doing. Let our heritage end up in looking back on who we were and who we are. It helps us to move forward as well,” said Van Beek.
“It coincidentally worked out that we have 37 heritage and cultural exhibits in the museum in our 37th year, which is fun, and I love it. We did not plan that; it just worked out that way, and it is perfect. People came out, and I love how they responded to the festival. It is a worthwhile thing to host, and we must keep this going.”
