Oyez? Oh yeah! Why Halifax's town crier is thrilled to come home for a Fredericton competition
Griffin Jaeger | CBC News | Posted: August 12, 2022 11:00 AM | Last Updated: August 12, 2022
'I love mentoring people … I feel like it’s my calling,' said Will Brewer, Halifax town crier
When Will Brewer, Halifax's town crier, left his hometown of Fredericton in 2018, he was searching for something he felt had been missing in his life: community.
Four years later, he's returning to teach his old hometown the greatest lesson he's learned: by raising your voice, community can be found anywhere you go.
This Saturday, he will host an event called "Find Your Inner Town Crier" at the Fredericton Region Museum.
"I'm just thrilled that I'm back home … doing this really awesome competition," he said.
"I love mentoring people … I feel like it's my calling."
Brewer will walk people through what it takes to be a crier: giving proclamations, suiting up from head to toe and sharing the history of town crying in Canada.
Participants will have the chance to ring a bell and raise their voices to see if they have what it takes to do the job.
This is the first time the event has been hosted in person since COVID-19.
Finding your inner voice
Brewer, who spends his days advocating for other people who live with Down syndrome, hopes to use his own lived experience to instill confidence in others.
He recalls a moment when he was studying public relations at Mount Saint Vincent University, when a classmate was struggling with nerves surrounding public speaking. He took it upon himself to work with her, to build confidence and help her find her voice.
That experience lit a spark in him.
From then on, he knew he wanted to continue instilling that confidence in others. When a position opened up to be the town crier, he jumped at the opportunity.
He's now jumping at another opportunity: this time, spreading the message with bells in-hand.
As a town crier, this comes naturally to him.
Brewer says he hopes participants leave the event feeling encouraged to "venture out on what they can do" when thinking about their passions and goals.
"To let them know that they can find their inner self as well…to advocate for themselves," he added.
A joy for the job
Melynda Jarrett, a long-time friend of Brewer and executive cirector of the museum, is excited to bring the event back, given a large turnout in 2019.
"It's a great opportunity for people to get together and also to build bridges between different groups of people," she said.
When asked what makes Brewer so good for the job, she describes the delight he brings to any room he enters.
"I think the joy that he brings to people through the town crier competition is something that just cannot be quantified. It is so big. It is so large. It's love, it is happiness," said Jarrett.
"Whenever I see Will, that is what I think of."
The competition will run from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. AT on the museum's upper balcony.
Jarrett recommends attendees arrive early, as there are a limited number of spots available.
Pondering what it takes to be a crier in 2022, Brewer urges community members to "just be themselves."
"It's giving a message, not just a message of hope, but a message of light in the world," said Brewer.