Kings Landing, New Brunswick’s 19th-century gem, have announced that they will be opening this summer while making adjustments to the historical re-enactment village and taking precautions to ensure the safety of visitors and staff during the pandemic.
New Brunswick is finding itself in a fairly unique predicament this tourism season; as a province that has had few active cases of coronavirus, it has allowed for parks and businesses to begin opening while keeping the borders closed. It’s the perfect excuse to indulge in a low maintenance staycation and support local.
That means Kings Landing is suddenly one of the hot spot tourism destinations in the province. Of course, as part of the “new normal” we’ll all have some new rules to follow if we don’t want our toys taken away.
As you might expect from any immensely social gathering, there is the necessity of wearing masks, particularly while visiting any of the village’s houses and while riding the wagons. Social distancing must be maintained whenever possible,
The park has implemented wipe-down policies in heavy traffic areas, and several new hands-free hand-sanitizer stations are being installed.
When it comes to dining, you can expect an al fresco experience with a new take-out only policy at The King’s Head Inn and Axe & Plough Café, and additional seating outside.
In fact, it’s not just the dining that will be taking outside. The park will be moving much of its programming into the great outdoors. That’s great news for regular visitors to Kings Landing eager to see things spiced up a little.
“A lot of programming that would have taken place in tight quarters will now be outside,” says Rachael Biggar, Kings Landing’s Marketing & Content Specialist. “For example, in 2019, we did butter-making in the Ingraham and Joslin sheds, but this year, it will be outside. There will be more demonstrations than usual. We’re working on details to have outdoor cooking available.
“Another change is that with the exception of Peddler’s Market staff, everyone is in costume—even me! Villagers will all be portraying real people from New Brunswick’s past, but there will be costumed staff who aren’t portraying characters showcasing exhibits, working at admissions, greeting guests, and reviewing protocols at the entrance.”
Biggar notes that much of the changes coming to the houses and shops should actually be fair familiar to anyone who visited the park in the 1990s, as we’ll be seeing the return of the plastic barriers that had previously provided protection against unwashed hands for a different reason!
“So while you can wander the hallways, you won’t be able to enter all rooms,” says Biggar. “This does mean we get to put out more of our artifact collection!”
While we are seeing history repeat itself, (fortunately) there haven’t been any examples of a pandemic having such wide-reaching effects within the province during the park’s historical time period. We won’t be seeing anyone burning incense or selling oranges and garlic to ward off the plague this season, with the staff wisely choosing safety over storytelling. Which doesn’t mean they won’t take the opportunity to address it.
“There is an exhibit on past pandemics (ie. Spanish Flu) in New Brunswick in the welcome centre, but safety will come before historical accuracy this year, so you may see costumed staff in modern masks and asking guests to adhere to COVID-19 protocols,” says Biggar. “We do have a weekend dedicated to medicine that I’m sure they’ll talk about pandemics during. ”
Biggar notes that New Brunswickers typically make up over 60% of Kings Landing’s annual visitors. With the province’s borders closed, the lack of out-of-province tourists could potentially have a serious impact on the park. But with the COVID-19 pandemic still surrounding us, this summer will be the perfect occasion for New Brunswickers to get out and enjoy what their home province has to offer.
“We are really counting on their continued support this season,” says Biggar. “It will mean a lot to Kings Landing if New Brunswickers come out for a visit this year.”
Kings Landing will be open for the season, starting June 3, from Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m..