Nova Scotia town criers have been raising their voices for decades

Greg Fenwick and David Olie have served as town criers in Nova Scotia for decades and perform at community events, while the Nova Scotia Guild of Town Criers traces the practice to Mi'kmaq eyapaha and 19th‑century Halifax.

Greg Fenwick and David Olie have been town criers in Nova Scotia for decades, appearing at parades, birthdays and other community events. Fenwick won a 2006 competition in the Sackville area and has held the role for 20 years. Olie officially debuted in Yarmouth in 1996 after writing to town council and completing an audition. The Nova Scotia Guild of Town Criers says the practice stretches back to Mi'kmaq eyapaha and to criers recorded in Halifax in the 1830s. What we know: - Greg Fenwick secured the Sackville town crier role in 2006 and has served in that position for about 20 years. - David Olie began as Yarmouth's town crier in 1996 after meeting Peter Cox and pursuing the role locally. - The Nova Scotia Guild of Town Criers reports the tradition includes Mi'kmaq eyapaha and documented criers in Halifax from the 1830s. - Fenwick and Olie wear period-appropriate costumes and perform proclamations at events across the province. - The community of town criers has shrunk in recent decades, with some towns unable to replace retiring criers. - Olie is helping Digby find a new town crier, and Fenwick, 73, says he plans to continue while his voice allows. Summary: The town criers represent a continuing local tradition that adds ceremony to community gatherings. Participation dipped after COVID but has shown signs of returning. Recruitment remains a challenge in some towns, and locally criers are assisting where replacements are needed.