Cultural activities with families in mind…

Published on Jul 6, 2022
by Tourism Eastern Townships

Sherbrooke, Wednesday, July 6, 2022 – The Eastern Townships’ cultural and museum scene is back with a vengeance! There is a ton of activities this summer aimed at young and old and the list of things to see and do includes exhibitions, historical venues, live entertainment, the visual arts and interactive attractions.

Un Zoo la Nuit and ANIMABLOC – two new attractions at the Granby Zoo

ANIMABLOC (as its name suggests), is an exhibition of life-sized animals built entirely of building blocks – a quirky display that will appeal to families of all ages! Starting in the fall, the Zoo will also offer a brand-new ‘immersive’ experience – namely, the opportunity to overnight at the Zoo in a mini-chalet. This program includes animation, a behind-the-scenes visit, storytelling around the campfire, dinner, breakfast and snacks.

Augmented attractions at Coaticook’s Nature Discovery Park

The Acoatica experience, a huge indoor and outdoor interactive game themed around vulnerable species of fish, is back again at the Parc Découverte Nature. This year, the Park is adding a guided tour during which visitors will be shown the various stages involved in fish farming, up to the point of releasing an endangered species into the wild. There is also a gourmet area where you can try your hand at catching a fish, then cooking it with local ingredients.

Foresta Lumina – more magical than ever…

Thanks to $245,000 in financial assistance from the provincial government, the illuminated night trail at the Parc de la Gorge in Coaticook will once again be upgraded, as has been the case since Foresta Lumina opened in 2014. The area at the end of the pedestrian suspension bridge will be improved in order to better explain the story of ‘Margaret’ the main character at the heart of the narrative told throughout the ‘enchanted forest’. ‘Luminaries’ (i.e. visitors to Foresta Lumina) will have an even more fluid, immersive experience than ever before, tempting them to visit again and again!

New exhibitions at the Musée des beaux-arts de Sherbrooke  

Sherbrooke’s Fine Arts Museum has launched several new exhibitions – Land Back (until June 26), Le temps à l’oevre (July 14-Septemer 11) and La Trahison des images (July 14 to September 11). From time to time, the Museum is also going to organize some interesting activities. On Saturdays (2pm), it will offer guided tours. The Ruche d'Art workshop, a hive of creative activity, will take place on the first Sunday of each month, then on the third Thursday of each month, art lovers can participate in the Soif d’expression evenings with wine and cheese.

Sherbrooke’s boozy history!

An exhibition entitled À la votre (Cheers!) documenting the evolution of booze, covering the production, distribution, sales and consumption of alcohol in Quebec over the past 150 years, is currently running at the Sherbrooke History Museum (June 21-October 23). As well, at the nearby Sherbrooke Nature and Science Museum, there is Broue, l’homme des tavernes. Themed around a long-running (and wildly popular) stage show, this exhibition will transport you into the imaginary world of taverns and their amusing regulars (until September 5).

Sherb-Histoire – paddling into the past

This guided evening tour, by kayak and the light of lanterns, around Sherbrooke’s Lac des Nations, conjurs up intriguing tales and myths from the city’s past. The tour, organized in partnership with the Sherbrooke History Museum, lasts for an hour and a half and participants can absorb themselves in the history of Sherbrooke (often referred to as the ‘Queen city of the Townships’) on an eerily calm lake, adding to the feeling of mystery….

Les Correspondances d'Eastman now at the local theatre  

Les Correspondances d'Eastman has long promoted writing and reading through various literary events, but this year the format of the festival has changed. Instead of taking place at a variety of venues, most activities will be held in Eastman’s Théâtre La Marjolaine (September 9-11).

Heritage and culture in the spotlight at Maison Merry

La Maison Merry offers several new events highlighting its role as the oldest house in urban Magog - a conference on the history of tourism in the Eastern Townships given by a historian; an evening tour (Les Merry la nuit) and a three-part tourist circuit linking La Maison Merry, the Cherry River Distillery (former St-Luke's Church) and the St-Patrice cemetery. Another talk, this time on the environment, will be presented by historian Maude Flamant-Hubert on November 9.

Fun for young ‘uns at Divertigo

Divertigo is extending its dizzying diversions for small fry by adding new games aimed at 3-6 year olds. The Bromont site offers more than 40 aerial adventure games, zip lines, a climbing wall, a freefall simulator and a 30-foot swing!

Maple syrup and mobile homes!

Espace Aux Rives du temps, a tourist site in the municipality of Courcelles in the Megantic region, is staging a new exhibition about maple syrup, on display at the Moulin Bernier. (The Bernier Mill is part of the site’s collection of historic buildings.) As well, visitors will now be able to go kayaking, paddle boarding and canoeing on the Bluets River.

If you’re one of the growing number of ‘vanlife’ enthusiasts, you can overnight in your RV or mobile home, at the rest area alongside the river close to Espace Aux Rives du temps.

Pick your own flowers at Libella

Visitors can pick their favorite flowers from the fields at the eco-friendly Ferme Florale Libella in the municipality of Bury (Haut-Saint-François). Choose your favourite blooms from a choice of around 50 varieties (peonies, sunflowers, dahlias, tulips and many more) to create a fantastic, custom-designed bouquet. During the summer, there will also be live entertainment and artists, adding colour and sound to the fields.

Bleu Lavande - a new location and year-round attractions

Last summer, Bleu Lavande’s lavender fields and operational headquarters moved to a new site in Magog. It has now become a year-round destination and it has upgraded its ‘visitor experience’, as well as launching a number of workshops. This summer, there will be yoga and meditation sessions, food trucks and massage treatments outdoors, amid the fragrant lavender fields. Bleu Lavande also won a Travelers’ Choice 2021 award from Tripadvisor, recognizing the lavender farm as one of the Townships’ must-see attractions!

Musée de l'ingéniosité J. Armand Bombardier  

Put your family's ingenuity to the test at the three experimental areas in Valcourt’s J. Armand Bombardier Museum of Ingenuity. Try to solve the challenges involved in manufacturing and testing prototype snowmobiles….

The past and the present profiled in Lac Megantic

Marcher dans les traces de Clovis is a tour of the Cliche Rancourt archeological site not far from the town of Lac Megantic. This is the only known place in Quebec where traces of the ancient peoples known as Clovis have been found. They lived at the end of the Pleistocene epoch (between 11,400-11,800 years ago). There will also be ‘themed’ days with animation, as well as an interpretive exhibition at the historic railway station.

In Lac-Megantic itself, visitors can take a guided tour of the self-generating electrical microgrid with its 2,000 solar panels, as well as much-improved displays documenting the devastating 2013 railway accident.

Multimedia magic in Haut-Saint-François

A video mapping project entitled Les Murmures du Canton is adding a little magic to the tourist attractions in Cookshire-Eaton. Presented by the Productions de l’inconnu, in collaboration with the Ministère du Tourisme du Québec, Tourism Eastern Townships and the John Henry Pope Cultural Centre, these ‘murmurs’ refer to snippets from the Townships’ past. Through multimedia technology, giant images illustrating the region’s heritage, are projected onto the walls of three historic buildings - Victoria Hall, Cookshire Elementary School and St. Peter's Church. (Parc des Braves, Cookshire-Eaton. After dark, Thursday-Saturday, until mid-September.)

A lively public square with a panoramic view

The city of Val-des-Sources has inaugurated a public square - the Place de la Traversée – with a couple of terraces that offer a panoramic view of the mineshaft. There will be various events and musical entertainment, specifically during the cocktail hour (5-7pm) from June 24-Labour Day. There is also a (non-serviced) camping space for RVs. (They are allowed to park for between 24-48 hours.)

Nine themed passports to explore Sherbrooke

Destination Sherbrooke is offering nine tourist passports themed around beer, guided tours, ‘escape’ games, relaxation, history, sporting activities, discoveries, family and technology. The passports give access to 19 attractions (some give discounts ranging from 30-50%) – a great way to discover (or rediscover!) the city.

About Tourism Eastern Townships

Tourisme Cantons-de-l’Est (Tourism Eastern Townships) is one of 22 tourism associations (ATRs) in Quebec and the official representative of Quebec's Ministry of Tourism in the Eastern Townships. Since 1978, the TCE’s mission has been to promote tourism development, marketing the region within Quebec and internationally. TCE brings together more than 500 members throughout the 9 regional county municipalities (MRCs) and in all sectors of the tourism industry : accommodation, restaurants, attractions, activities and events.

The Eastern Townships is the fourth most popular tourist destination in Quebec. The region attracts some 10 million visitors every year, accounting for 6.5 million overnight stays and spending more than $900 million annually. The tourism sector is also the region’s fourth largest employer, accounting for 20,000 jobs.