Brockie Donovan Funeral and Cremation Services is set to host the 20th edition of its Gossip in the Graveyard fundraiser this weekend.
The annual walking tour, hosted in partnership with the Assiniboine Theatre Company, brings local history to life through actors portraying people buried in the Brandon Municipal Cemetery.
The event has become a community tradition that many Brandon residents look forward to each year, Brockie Donovan after-care and special events co-ordinator Lisa Hammond said.
“We go to the graveside or the gravestone headstone, and the character buried there actually is there to greet all of our guests and tell them stories about their life and how they’ve contributed to Brandon’s history,” Hammond told the Sun Friday.
Hammond described it as “live outdoor theatre,” with each actor researching the historical figure they portray before writing and performing their own script.
This year’s artistic director is Aly Wowchuk, whose theme focuses on the history of Brandon Cemetery itself and some of the interesting burials that have taken place there over the years.
The event has also become a way for Brockie Donovan to give back to the community, with all proceeds donated to local charities, Hammond said.
Over the past 20 years, she said, Gossip in the Graveyard has contributed more than $40,000 to local charities, including Westman Hospice, the Alzheimer Society, Westman Dreams for Kids and the Women’s Resource Centre.
“This year, proceeds will go to the Brandon Regional Health Centre Foundation and the Murray House Cancer Treatment Residence,” she said.
“The event has continued to draw strong support from residents, with approximately 150 people expected to attend over the two days.”
Tours are scheduled for 5 p.m. and 5:15 p.m. today and 3 p.m. and 3:15 p.m. Sunday.
“All four tours are sold out,” she said.
Co-owner Kelly Lumbard started the Gossip in the Graveyard 20 years ago as a way to commemorate Brandon’s 125th anniversary.
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