A & R Music celebrates Heritage Week with window display
WALKERTON – There’s always something to see in the window at A & R Music – especially at this time of year, when Richard Popiez celebrates Heritage Week (Ontario Heritage Trust) with a display of local music memories.
And here are certainly plenty of those.
“There’s a ton of music up here,” said Popiez. “Music, bands… wow!”
He said the first time he and Andrea Popiez celebrated Heritage Week with a window display, people loved it, and the many memories it sparked.
The focus of this year’s display was Gord Cottrill, who has long been a fixture in the local music scene.
On the A & R Facebook page, Popiez thanked Cottrill, Jim Beech, Cyndy Abell, Colleen Moran, Ray Moffat and Jim Leask for sharing their photos and information for this year’s window display. The display itself is now one of the area’s fond memories, but lives on in social media posts.
Popiez commented on all the bands Cottrill was in, and events he was part of – everything from Summerfolk to Cargill’s Pickin’ by the Pond.
Speaking of Pickin’ by the Pond, it’s back this year – July 7-9 at the Cargill Park.
Each February, the Ontario Heritage Trust invites people to participate in Heritage Week – “to celebrate heritage in all its forms (cultural and natural, architectural, archaeological and collections), its diverse traditions and cultural expressions,” according to the Heritage Week website.
“Heritage Week provides a wonderful opportunity for individuals and communities to reflect on their contributions to Ontario, how heritage is conserved, promoted and commemorated, and how they might shape the future.
“Since 1974, the third Monday every February has been identified as Heritage Day in Canada.
“In 1985, the Ontario government designated the third week in February as Ontario Heritage Week, with the federal Heritage Day kicking off the week.”
A & R Music has its own tradition, promoting heritage by celebrating local music.
“I like doing the memory stuff,” said Popiez.
Pauline Kerr, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Walkerton Herald Times
