Fool's Paradise: Exploring the Ribbon Fool Tradition
Date: Dec 8
2:30 pm
- 3:30 pm
Where: Theatre
Mummers Festival
If you've spent the holiday season in Newfoundland you likely know all about the wildly fun practice of mummering. But have you heard of Ribbon Fools?
“Ribbon Fools” are peculiar characters, with spectacular rigs covered in crêpe paper ribbons and distinct ship hats fastened on their heads.
Today, only a few people still have memories of the "fools." Join presenter Terra Barrett and facilitator Dale Jarvis as we explore this little known tradition.
This free event is presented in partnership with the 2022 Mummers Festival.
Seating is limited, please reserve your free ticket online or by calling 757-8090.
Today's Events & Programs
Fall in Love with Creativity!
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, join us to turn everyday fabric scraps into beautiful braided fabric wreaths. Inspired by our exhibition, Toby Rabinowitz’s A World Within a World, we’ll celebrate joy and creativity in everyday life while giving old materials a fresh, fabulous twist!
No experience needed - just bring your enthusiasm! Got fabric scraps you’d love to include? Bring them along! If not, we’ve got plenty to share.
Cost: $40 plus HST. 10% discount for Rooms members. Register online or by calling 709-757-8090. This workshop is for ages 16 and up.
Join us for an inspiring afternoon highlighting the artists who captured the spirit of the 2025 Canada Summer Games—live and on location. While athletes competed across St. John’s, a volunteer collective of artists worked quickly with pen, paint, and pastels as they documented the energy of competition and community in real time.
This event offers a behind-the-scenes look at their creative process, from the challenges of drawing in motion to the thrill of finding the perfect line amid the action. You’ll hear first-hand stories from the field—weather swings, crowded venues, and the art of working fast—alongside selections from sketchbooks and paintings created during the Games.
Whether you’re an art lover, Games fan, aspiring sketcher or a curious community member, this session promises insight, inspiration, and practical tips for drawing in public spaces.
Tickets: $12 plus HST. Free for Rooms members. Get your tickets online or by calling 709-757-8090.
Image: CBC/Using watercolour, artist Shay Hucklebridge captures the scene at women’s soccer at the King George V Park. (Shay Hucklebridge)