More changes to Fall Fair programming are under consideration in response to a rally announced for the same date and location on September 23 at Bill Johnstone Memorial Park.
At Tuesday’s meeting, Tantramar council voted to change the route for the Fall Fair parade to avoid Bill Johnstone Park in response to plans for the rally, which appears to originate from a group called Worldwide Demonstrations. They are calling the event a “World Wide Rally for Freedom 13.0”
Tantramar Active Living director Matt Pryde told councillors on Tuesday night that, “after consulting with the RCMP detachment here, with Sergeant [Eric] Hanson, it’s recommended that we change the parade route to avoid the Bill Johnstone area for that event.” RCMP Sergeant Eric Hanson says it was town staff who recommended the route change, and he expressed no objections. He says he has no specific information on the number of participants expected for the rally.
Bill Johnstone Park is also scheduled for a ‘Family Day at the Park’ on September 23 as part of Fall Fair. The event will feature musical performances in the bandstand throughout the day as well as activities such as fundraising bbqs, face painting, and a petting zoo. Pryde says the town has “a plan for that as well, but we will not be finalizing it until next week.”
It’s not clear how the location for the “World Wide Freedom Rally” was chosen, and indeed who the local organizers are or whether they were aware of plans for the Fall Fair in the park. World Wide Demonstrations has posted dozens of graphics announcing a September 23 rally at various locations around the world, including Sackville. The group’s website says it formed in response to the restrictions imposed by states during the height of the COVID 19 pandemic, and the group promotes World Wide Freedom Rallies every two months.
Pryde says he doesn’t know who the organizers are, and so does not know how to contact them. CHMA has reached out to some accounts on social media where the rally announcement was shared, but have yet to make contact with a local organizer. He says plans for changes to the route will be finalized next week.