25-year-old New Brunswick town crier to compete at world tournament in the U.K.

A 25-year-old woman from New Brunswick, Summer Gallant, is gearing up to compete in a world tournament of town criers in the United Kingdom. Gallant recently started her job as a town crier in Riverview, N.B., after a successful bid to land the position. Before her current role, she had spent time traveling and pursued a career in theatre.

On a recent day, Gallant donned an ornate, red-and-blue jacket and tricorn hat to open a swearing-in ceremony for Riverview's new council, announcing, "Hear ye! Hear ye!" She will travel to Chester, U.K., this week to compete against some of the world's best town criers, starting on Monday. Gallant is the youngest competitor at the event, which is scheduled to last until Friday.

Her predecessor, former town councillor Garry Forsythe, passed away last year, and his daughter, Kelly Forsythe Preston, who is now a councillor, selected Gallant as his successor. The town crier position was traditionally associated with fun municipal events, but some critics argue it symbolizes colonialism. In response, the city of Duncan, British Columbia, retired its town crier in 2021 and invited the Cowichan Tribes to participate in a process to choose a new community ambassador.

Daniel Richer dit LaFlèche, a town crier from Ottawa and Gatineau, Que., argues that virtually every country and ethnic group had town criers, such as ancient Greek messengers and Roman heralds. He believes Gallant has the chance to shape the future of the tradition, stating, "There's always room for evolution." Other Canadian competitors expected in Chester include Chris Whyman, a three-time world title winner, and young criers Liam Cragg and James Stewart.