Around 5,000 visitors took in the sights and sounds at the Fort Langley National Historic Site Monday, including one 96-year-old descendent of a Hudson’s Bay Company employee.

The Fort was free to all on Monday for B.C. Day. Interpreters met Mertel Cromarty, who is the great-great-granddaughter of the HBC’s chief cooper William Cromarty. He came to work at Fort Langley building barrels in 1843. Cromarty, who had eight children with a Matsqui wife, was buried in the Fort Langley cemetery in 1875.

“The interpreters had fun chatting with her,” said Theresa Conkin, Fort marketing manager.

“It was a big party of a weekend,” she said. French Canadian celtic band Blackthorn played music to an appreciative crowd of around 900 on Monday night, many of whom got up and danced, she said.

Bays Blackwell, Fort Festival Society director, said it was a great atmosphere with many families taking in the show.

“Kids were dancing around in the grass, families had brought blankets and a picnic. It was so great to see. Everyone enjoyed the Langley Community Musical School fiddlers too,” she said.

Being the birthplace of B.C., Fort Langley was hopping with events, music, barbecues, re-enactments and games to celebrate this province’s holiday.

On Saturday, there was a step back in time, with re-enactments of a fur trade wedding, historic weapons demonstration and stories of the voyageurs.

The festivities continued on Sunday with the Sto:lo strength games, a fur trade obstacle course and the procession of the HBC employees including Mr. Yale. The Fort BIA put on events, including a free pancake breakfast in the orchard, just outside the Fort walls.

The annual return of the canoes bearing fur traders also took place.

“It was great to see that our regular programs were drawing visitors into trying things out, like the washing of clothes and spinning of wool. Our new program, ‘the life of a voyageur’ drew several hundred people. The tug-of-war was an epic thing. With so many people wanting to play, there wasn’t enough rope,” Conklin said

The Fort Langley IGA parking lot was turned into a community street dance around 8 p.m. on Sunday night.