ACCOLADES KEEP ROLLING IN FOR HALTON HILLS' CULTURE DAYS

HALTON HILLS, ON – The Halton Hills community was awarded a big ‘thank you’ from the Town for making the recent Culture Days Halton Hills (CDHH) the most successful year to date! The 2018 event received a tremendous response from the community and has been recognized nationally and provincially by Culture Days Ontario.

Ranked sixth nationally for a mid-sized community, the CDHH event recently received recognition from Culture Days Ontario through their Spotlight Recognition Program for the People’s Choice award for the KAIROS Blanket Exercise, as well as being runner-up for Best Corridor and for Best Exemplification of the On Beat Theme.

“The success of Culture Days 2018 recognizes the incredible talent of local artists and community groups in the Town of Halton Hills,” said Mayor Rick Bonnette. “Congratulations to all who participated in the Culture Days initiative this year.”

The Spotlight Recognition Program shines a light on exemplary Culture Days initiatives and celebrates innovative and accessible public programming in the spirit of the Culture Days weekend.

Halton Hills was recognized in the following categories:
The Norval KAIROS Blanket Exercise hosted by the Norval Community Association won the Ontario Culture Days 2018 Spotlight People’s Choice award. The award, which was determined by a public vote, recognizes an outstanding program that took place over the Culture Days weekend. Participants were invited to take on the roles of Indigenous peoples in Canada in a two-hour workshop that covered over 500 years of history. Standing on blankets that represent the land, they walked through pre-contact, treaty-making, colonization, resistance and culture appropriation. The Blanket Exercise serves as a tool for education and empathy.

The Halton Hills Downtown Georgetown Corridor was the runner-up of the Best Corridor. Not only did the corridor act as a link between the bustling Farmers’ Market, local businesses and the Library and Cultural Centre, it also connected the audience with programming throughout downtown. Live music and outdoor workshops made downtown feel lively and engaging to all.

Three musical groups joined forces to offer a unique musical evening called OnBeat in the Hills. Participants experimented with instruments, sang along with the choir and even got to try their hand at conducting the band. This program was the runner-up for the Best Exemplification of the OnBeat theme. Congratulations to the Halton Hills Concert Band, the Georgetown Choral Society and Gaudeamus Choir!

About the Town of Halton Hills
The Town of Halton Hills, with a population of approximately 60,000, consists of two urban centres, Georgetown and Acton, the Halton Hills Premier Gateway employment area, three hamlets – Glen Williams, Stewarttown and Norval and several smaller settlements. Halton Hills has long been recognized for its natural beauty, active agricultural community, high quality of life and proximity to major centres, including Brampton, Mississauga and Toronto. The Town is ranked as one of the top small communities in Canada by a national magazine.

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Communications Contact:
Alex Fuller,
Manager of Corporate Communications
905-873-2601, ext. 2412
afuller@haltonhills.ca

Media Contact:
Catherine McLeod,
Cultural Development Coordinator /
Chair, Halton Hills Culture Days Committee
905-873-2601, ext. 2543
cmcleod@haltonhills.ca