Crowds at Lynn Valley Day, 1967 or 1968. Item: 26-19F-19.

One of the annual highlights of the North Shore calendar is Lynn Valley Days, especially for young children and their families. With COVID-19 putting a damper on this year’s festivities, now is a better time than ever to explore what the NVMA’s collection has on the origins of Lynn Valley Days.

The Origins of Lynn Valley Days

The first Lynn Valley Days event was launched on September 14, 1912 concurrent with the opening of the Institute Hall and the Lynn Canyon Park & Suspension Bridge. The inaugural event was conceived by the Trustees of the Institute Hall, an early Lynn Valley Community Centre, in order to attract land speculators to the North Shore to pay off the debt on their recently completed building.

The festivities included a parade, sport competitions, live musical entertainment, a refreshment stand, and a community dance. Unfortunately, an economic downturn going into 1913 and the start of World War I in 1914 impacted the ability of organizers to adequately run the event, putting it on hiatus until 1919. After that, with a few exceptions, Lynn Valley Days became an annual event in North Vancouver.

Organizing these events can be a time-consuming affair, relying on the help of dedicated organizers and community volunteers to make happen. Most of the modern Lynn Valley Days events have been organized by the local Lynn Valley Lions club, although they also worked alongside the Lynn Valley Community Association during a period when the Lions were experiencing declining membership.

Recalling his time as an organizer for these events (2006-2012), John Gilmour, the current President of the NVMA Friends Society, recalls having to drive, then run, all the way to the parade site to ensure that important traffic safety cones were set up after learning that someone had forgotten to place them on the west side of the road.

The Role of Games at Lynn Valley Days

Image of the Sports Program for a 1928 Lynn Valley Days Event. Item 1928-2.

Games have remained a consistent feature of Lynn Valley Days. For many decades, adults participated in standard sports competitions, with events including short and long-distance running and high jumps, as well as novelty games such as three-legged races and egg races.

Cash prizes were often awarded to the winners, but some years featured stranger awards. For example, the prizes for the 1921 Lynn Valley Days included boxes of chocolate, a mouth organ, a pocket-knife, baseballs, plants, sacks of coal, and an electric toaster.

In more recent years, the prizes have been phased out and the games are largely played by children, but they continue to feature in the festivities. They include three-legged races and egg races like past Lynn Valley Days, with organizers going to the NVMA to find out which games were played at the 1920s events. Some games newer and odder, such as a game at the 2010 event where participants competed to see how many blows from a hammer it would take for them to pound a spike into a long stump.

An Evolving Event: The Maypole and May Day Queen

May Queen Ceremony, 1950(?). NVMA Item 15206.

Over the decades, Lynn Valley Days has changed its roster of events as a reflection of the interests and leisure activities of the Lynn Valley community.

For example, in 1946, Lynn Valley Days merged with local May Day celebrations into a single event, thus incorporating a maypole dance and the crowning of a May Queen into its festivities.

The Queen was chosen by popular vote by students at Lynn Valley Elementary School, and served as a representative of Lynn Valley at other local events throughout the year.

The crowning of the May Queen was later phased out of Lynn Valley Days, but the maypole dance continues to occur at modern events.

Further Changes to Lynn Valley Days

The Maypole dance wasn’t the only new addition to Lynn Valley Days over the years. Other new additions include inflatable castles and slides, face painting for young children, and a beer garden for adults. Another frequent feature of the event are the booths set up by community organizations, including the NVMA, in order to connect with attendees.

Starting from 2011, the event has included a Lynn Valley Days Gala the night before the main fair, featuring a buffet dinner and drinks, as well as live music and dancing akin to the early Lynn Valley Days. Rather than taking place at the Institute Hall, which burned down for good in 1933, it now takes place on the grass field next to the Lynn Valley School and the Community History Centre. Some parts of the earliest days of the event, such as the parade, the live entertainment, and the refreshments, continue to feature in the festivities.

Lynn Valley Day Parade of Children, 1957. The Bearded Lady at left. Item: 11382.

Lynn Valley Day, Norma McLennan in booth, 1967. Item: 26-19F-21.

Crowds at Lynn Valley Day, 1967. Item: 26-19F-15.

This year Lynn Valley Days was cancelled due to the pandemic, but we know that in the future it will return, perhaps in a different form or with different events that reflect our changing world. Yet no matter what, Lynn Valley Days remains an enjoyable and relaxing event for all the participants.

If you are interested in seeing more images related to Lynn Valley Days, simply type your keyword search “Lynn Valley Days” into the online archives database, sit back and enjoy travelling back in time.

Primary Sources:

‘Lynn Valley Day and Institute Hall’ – Box 18, File 5, from Walter Draycott Fonds, File is a part of the Series Lynn Valley Day 1912-1977.

Secondary Sources:

https://lynnvalleylife.com/blog/1962-lynn-valley-day-may-queen-remembers-crowning-glory/

https://lvlions.com/history/

https://vancouversbestplaces.com/events-calendar/festivals-and-events/lynn-valley-day/

https://vancouversnorthshore.com/events/lynn-valley-day/

Monday, August 17, 2020, 4:00pm-4:30pm – Telephone interview between John Gilmour, President of the Friends Society, and Bryan Wood, NVMA Intern.