Stories & Song with Denise Pelley

Join musical artist Denise Pelley and accompanist Stephen Holowitz in a lecture-and-listen series about Famous Black Canadians. Denise powerfully interweaves biographical stories with a selection of jazz music inspired by her tales. Our sixth edition of this performance is dedicated to Rose Fortune, Loyalist and Canada's first female police officer, as well as hockey player Herb Carnegie.

Ticket Sales

Tickets cost: $20.00 + taxes + Eventbrite fees.

Tickets will be available for online purchase until 12:00pm on the day of the performance. If you’re purchasing 10+ tickets, you may call our office to buy them over the phone and avoid the Eventbrite fee. Please see the contact info at the bottom of the page.

Limited tickets will also be available for purchase at the door.

About the Artists

Denise Pelley is an acclaimed jazz vocalist. Her many distinctions include the Queen’s Golden and Diamond Jubilee Medals, as well as multiple Best Jazz Artist Awards at the London, Ontario’s Music Awards. She is an inductee into the London Music Hall of Fame, and has performed with and opened for numerous celebrated artists, including Ray Anderson, Jackie Richardson, Jesse Cook and Aretha Franklin.

Stephen Holowitz is Director of Music at St. James Westminster Anglican Church in London, Ontario. He is a seasoned music educator, having recently retired after teaching music at A.B. Lucas S.S. for over thirty years. Stephen can often be heard performing alongside Paul Stevenson and with the contemporary folk group Celtic Shift.

Venue

The performance takes place inside the restored African Methodist Episcopal Church. Between 1848 and 1869, this building served London’s Black community as a place to gather and worship. It also became a safe haven for many who fled enslavement in the United States by way of the Underground Railroad.

Learn more about the AME

Make It A Day

Tickets to the performance also include admission to the Heritage Village, which is open from 10:00am - 4:00pm. Come explore 25+ Heritage Buildings spanning the period of 1820-1920! Visitors are welcome to bring a picnic lunch and spend the afternoon on the grounds before attending the performance.

Getting Here

Fanshawe Pioneer Village is located inside Fanshawe Conservation Area in London, Ontario. Enter at 1424 Clarke Road, located at the Veterans Memorial Parkway and Clarke Road intersection. There is a sign that says “Upper Thames River Conservation Area”.

Upon entering Fanshawe Conservation Area, please let the Conservation Area tollgate attendant know you are attending the performance at Fanshawe Pioneer Village and they will direct you to the museum. Follow the Directional Signs through the Conservation Area to the Village.

When using your GPS, specifically enter the address of 1424 Clarke Road. Some GPS’s will try to take you to our mailing address (2609 Fanshawe Park Rd.) unless you enter the correct address. The mailing address will take you to a locked gate and does not lead to the Heritage Village.

You may park in the large Visitor Parking Lot, located just before you reach the Spriet Family Visitor Centre. There is also an Accessible Parking Lot directly beside the Visitor Centre. There is no charge to park.

When planning your arrival time, please note that it takes an additional 10-15 minutes to travel from the Conservation Area front gate to the Pioneer Village, and another 5-10 minutes to walk from the Visitor Entrance to the church.

Check-In

Please enter the Village via the Visitor Entrance / Toll Gate. It’s the wooden building beside the Visitor Centre with the orange sign. Tell the attendant you’re here for the performance.

A staff member at the church door will sign you in. Please have a copy of your ticket printed out or on your phone in case verification is required.

Accessibility

There is Accessible Parking directly beside our Visitor Entrance. Please inform the attendant if you require a golf cart ride to the church, as it’s a 5-10 minute walk. The church is accessed via a graded gravel ramp.

Washrooms with accessible stalls are located 2 minutes from the church.

The seating for this event comprises wooden church pews and benches, with a limited number of plastic folding chairs.

Learn more about Accessibility

Contact

If you have any questions about this event, please direct them to the Public Programming Coordinator at [email protected] or 519-457-1296×811.