Bernard, Mayor of Montreal from 1873-1875, was one of four major players in the creation of Mount Royal Park brought back to life for this historic event.

Sweltering heat and intense humidity aside, Montrealers arrived in full Victorian regalia for a very colourful procession through city streets featuring the mounted police, Black Watch cadets, a Dixie band and a variety of street performers.

Outside City Hall, Montreal’s present-day mayor, Pierre Bourque, provided words of thanks to the many individuals who had the foresight to create the city’s most precious green space, and to those who see to the ongoing maintenance and renewal of Mount Royal Park.

Horse-drawn carriages transporting dignitaries led the procession from the Champ-de-Mars along Gosford, Berri, René-Lévesque, Jeanne-Mance, de Maisonneuve, Aylmer, Prince Arthur, and finally Parc, towards the George-Étienne Cartier Monument.

Representatives of the organising committee of the anniversary celebrations in the lead carriage included Paolo Tamburello and Lise Cormier of the City of Montreal, Peter Howlett of Les Amis de la montagne and Nathalie Zinger of the Centre de la montagne. Dinu Bumbaru of Héritage Montréal preferred taking the route by foot.

The next carriage contained Mayor Aldis Bernard with his contemporaries of the late 1800s, Colonel Stevenson, Frederick Law Olmsted and William MacGibbon.

Colonel Stevenson proved to the most sceptic of Montrealers in 1862 and again in 1863 that one could ascend Mount Royal to its summit.

The American Frederick Law Olmsted, known as the father of landscape architecture in North America, was hired by the City to draw the design of Mount Royal Park in 1874, following his successful creation of Central Park in New York City.

William MacGibbon was Mount Royal Park’s first superintendent beginning in 1876. He was in charge of the park’s construction crews and lived in Smith House in the park for many years.

Parade-goers arrived at the picnic site in the park shortly after noon, ready for a day of historic re-enactments, performances and games, despite the unforgiving heat and unrelenting humidity.

Over the course of the afternoon, close to 1,500 participants witnessed actors in period costume recreate scenes of Victorian-era Montreal.

These included the Boudreau family enjoying a summer’s picnic, the work site of the park, a portrayal of working-class Montrealers at a factory, and the popular Victorian Tea Room, presented under the welcomed shade of the bandstand.

Meanwhile on stage, a symbolic ceremony re-inaugurating Mount Royal Park featured ribbon-cutting and a speech by Frederick Law Olmsted committing Montrealers of today to the preservation of their grandest park.

A performance by the Fireman’s Brass Band came next, followed by a period costume contest, an improvisation show, a military demonstration by the Black Watch cadets and a traditional dance demonstration.

Participants sang Happy Birthday to Mount Royal Park and enjoyed slices of a giant-sized birthday cake, sporting the logo of the 125th anniversary celebrations.

Children enjoyed the antics of a water-gun-toting clown on his pedal-powered carrousel, as well as with picnic games from the Victorian era. The potato-sack races and horse-shoe throw proved the most popular.

Towards the end of the day, the oppressive heat was met by a sudden cold front that quickly turned into a torrential downpour, summarily ending the Festive Fair in the Park for all.

For those who missed the day’s events, a smaller edition of the theatrical renditions will likely be added to other annual programs held in Mount Royal Park.

In the mean time, an enormous thank-you is extended to all organisers, partners and especially volunteers, without whom the day would not have been made possible.