About The Heritage Fair Program
About the Heritage Fair Program
The Heritage Fair program is a national-wide educational initiative by Canada’s History Society that encourages students to explore Canadian heritage. With their medium of choice, Canadian youth tell the stories of Canadian heroes, innovators, and major events. The research findings are presented at public exhibitions in small communities across the country.
The fairs are aimed at students in grades four to ten and seek to inspire Canadian youth to explore the many aspects of Canadian history, heritage, and culture in a dynamic learning environment and to celebrate the results of their efforts at a public exhibition in their region.
The Provincial Fair
The purpose of the annual Ontario Provincial Heritage Fair is to bring together students from grades 4 to grade 10 (representing the Regional Fairs held in Ontario each year) for a non-competitive, interactive history camp that includes a one-day public showcase to promote awareness of Ontario and Canadian history and heritage by the sharing of the excellent research projects students have brought with them.
Chosen students complete a research project using primary and secondary sources for sharing with their classmates and peers at their school and then at a Regional Fair. Each Regional Fair chooses students and projects to attend the Provincial Fair.
Student representatives from the Ottawa Regional Heritage Fair participate at the Ontario Provincial Heritage Fair in the summer. In 2019, students had the opportunity to explore Canada’s history with their peers through an array of educational group activities offered by the Archives of Ontario, the McMichael Canadian Art Collection Museum and the Ontario Provincial Heritage Fair program. Students also had the opportunity to share their winning history research projects in a public exhibition. The City of Ottawa contributes pins for the Ottawa student representatives to proudly wear and to trade with their peers.
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Young Citizens
Canada’s History Young Citizens program provides students aged 10-18 the opportunity to present their research findings on hero’s, legends and key events in Canadian history. Students who participate in heritage fairs program have the opportunity to represent their region in the Young Citizens program. Participants in the Young Citizens program make a short video about their heritage fair topic, much like an evening news report or short documentary. The student videos are posted online and reviewed by a panel of judges. Students are selected for a trip to Ottawa to attend a Youth Forum hosted by Canada’s History Society.