GREAT VILLAGE - It was obvious something special was happening in Great Village on the weekend.
Cars lined the main streets, people packed St. James United Church to listen to poetry and indulge in community meals, while others flocked to the Elizabeth Bishop house and a unique race took place, to name only a few events.
The weekend-long Elizabeth Bishop Centenary Arts Festival was in full swing on Saturday.
Perhaps the most enthusiastic group of people was the cardboard boat racers. More than 80 participants spent three hours constructing the boats out of only cardboard and duct tape. Then they took turns racing the rudimentary watercraft in nearby Spencer Pond. Great Village resident Kelsey Laking was declared the overall winner when his kayak-style design crossed the line first.
"I'd like to see more of this kind of stuff," said nine-year-old Marshall Field, a Great Village resident who was a participant in the race.
The youngster also took advantage of the festival to learn more about Elizabeth Bishop.
"I know she went to my school," he said, referring to Great Village Elementary school.
Even adults were learning more about Bishop, the American Pulitzer-winning poet who spent her childhood in Great Village.
"I had no idea who Elizabeth Bishop was when I came to Great Village eight years ago. I've done some research and it's amazing learning about her," said Great Village's Valerie Austin, who participated in a horse and wagon ride and attended a festival concert, poetry readings and more.
Bishop was born in 1911 and died in 1979. Many of her writings are about Great Village, where she visited often after leaving as a teenager.
Austin said the attention the village received because of the festival was astounding. It's anticipated hundreds attended the festival.
"It puts Great Village on the map a little more. To think, there are people here from Australia" and other far-away places was impressive, said Austin.
"This pulls us all together and it (gives) a better feeling about where you live ... it's not just a dot on a map."
Austin said there's a historical connection as well.
"The community of Great Village was very important to Elizabeth Bishop so it's important that all generations recognize somebody 100 years ago felt that way about this place and that community (spirit) still exists today."
Eighteen-year-old Michelle Higgins of Onslow made time on the weekend for reading some of Bishop's writings. She was particularly struck at Bishop's strength.
"I admire that she didn't come from a great upbringing but she overcame adversity," said Higgins, adding it was incredible a woman had such literacy influence in many places throughout the world, especially during her time when women were considered the inferior gender.
mchiasson@trurodaily.com
