Morrisburg, Ontario –Spring has finally arrived and Upper Canada Village has opened its gates to welcome visitors to an exciting, new season.

One of the best ways to enjoy all of the numerous events and experiences that Upper Canada Village has to offer is with a Passport to the Past. Two types of this annual pass are available, one for just the main season (adult $35.95; senior $29.95; youth $23.95) until September 20 or the Premium Pass (adult $62.95, senior $49.95, youth 43.95) which includes the main season plus award-winning fall event Pumpkinferno and the winter lights extravaganza Alight at Night. The passes provide unlimited visits, access to events plus other discounts including savings of 50% off admission for up to two guests who accompany the passholder. The Passport to the Past is a great deal and may be purchased upon arrival at the Admissions desk.

May will be a busy month and the Village will be alive with tradition over the Victoria Day weekend. Visitors can join in the Queen Victoria Birthday celebrations on Sunday, May 17 with patriotic speeches, grand military manoeuvres, a hand-pumped fire engine demonstration and enjoy a piece of birthday cake. All activities are included with admission.

Without a doubt, one of the joys of Spring is watching the fields and gardens come back to life after a long winter.  The Spring Planting weekend (May 30, 31) at Upper Canada Village is a great time to visit and see nature’s renewal. Village farmers will be out with their horses, ploughing, harrowing, disking, seeding & rolling the land.   The Village gardeners will be busy, transplanting young plants from the hot beds into the gardens and experienced horticultural interpreters will be on hand to answer seeding, transplanting and other gardening questions.

The 2015 season will mark the 350^th anniversary of the arrival of the Canadian Horse in Canada. All season long visitors will be able to see the Canadian horses at work. They are an integral part of daily life at Upper Canada Village performing tasks such as drawing the Tow Scow along the canal, pulling Carry-alls through the Village for tours and other farm related chores. This season, Horse Lovers’ weekend will be a not-to-be-missed event on Labour Day weekend September 5-7.

Summer Camps Update:

Upper Canada Village offers a number of summer youth camps. Some spaces are still available in the weekend Time Travellers Try-a-Camp (8-11 yrs), week-long Time Travellers (9-14 yrs), the Young Interpreters (10-15 yrs) and the Senior Young Interpreters (15-17 yrs) programs. Pre-registration is required and camps fill up quickly.

“We have a great season of events, programs and summer camps at Upper Canada Village. Our summer youth camps are a great opportunity for young people to make new friends and have a completely unique experience. This season we have a full line-up of events planned with many returning favourites such as Medieval Festival, Food Lovers’ Field Days and the War of 1812 Military Re-enactment weekend. In July and August we will be bringing back the Haunted Walks and Murder Mystery Dinners that were very popular last year.” – Geoff Waycik, Manager of Historic Sites, St. Lawrence Parks Commission

New this year is the ‘Breaking Down the Barriers to History’ weekend on June 20 and 21. While Upper Canada Village offers an excellent multisensory experience every day, this event will be further enhanced for those with sight loss, hearing loss and mobility challenges. Tactile diagrams, visual descriptions, sign language tours, touch tours and multisensory living history demonstrations will be offered to accommodate diverse needs.

Other events coming up in June include Sheep Shearing Days – June 2-5 and Medieval Festival June 6-7.

Upper Canada Village is the perfect destination for school trips. Education programming and the Village experience meet Ontario curriculum requirements for all grades 1 through 12. From day trips to overnight live-in adventures, there is no better place to get a taste of Canadian history. Special education days include Monday, May 25, War of 1812 and Monday, June 8 for Medieval Festival. Students can also visit the Aultsville Train Station for the British Home Child Exhibit and Educational Programm offered from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on June 2 and 3.

Upper Canada Village will be open daily from May 6 to Labour Day (September 7) and then Wednesday to Sundays from September 9 to 20, 2015. Entry fees: adult (13-64 yrs) $18; senior (65 yrs +) $16 and youth (6-12 yrs $12. Children 5 yrs and under are free.

For event details, times and schedules or to purchase advance tickets, visit www.UpperCanadaVillage.com or call Customer Service at 800-437-2233 or 613-543-4328 (local) or email getaway@parks.on.ca.