Communities in Ontario’s Niagara Region are adorning their museums, churches, and legions with crocheted poppies in tribute to Remembrance Day through the Poppy Project.
In early 2020, Christine Girardi, an assistant curator at the Niagara Falls History Museum, spearheaded this local community art initiative.
Girardi emphasized the importance of connecting programs at the museum with history to engage the community and educate about past events. She highlighted that the project serves as a respectful gesture towards Remembrance Day and the sacrifices made in various wars involving Canadian troops.
Following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Poppy Project gained international recognition, amassing 11,000 knitted poppies from contributors across Canada, the U.S., and Europe.
Yvonne Miller from the StickN’ Needles Guild, a crochet and knitting group in Niagara, mentioned that the project provided a sense of accomplishment during the challenging times of the pandemic.
Various institutions in Niagara, including museums, churches, and legions, have approached Girardi to create their poppy installations.
Girardi expressed hope that the sight of the poppies lining the streets would prompt individuals to reflect on Remembrance Day and the sacrifices made by many.
Joanne Ring, the lead artist for exterior installations in the Poppy Project, mentioned that each knitted poppy symbolizes an individual who fought for Canada.
These installations will remain on display until November 12.
“I’m very proud to be a part of it,” said Yvonne Miller, a member of the StickN’ Needles Guild. The guild is a group of local knitting enthusiasts who help crochet thousands of poppies for the Poppy Project in collaboration with Niagara Falls History Museum’s assistant curator Christine Girardi and exterior lead artist Joanne Ring.
Other ways Niagara is commemorating Remembrance Day
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