Newfoundland Soiree

In 1973, the Royal Canadian Legion held it's  annual convention in St. John's, this was  prior to the 50th Anniversary convention held in Winnipeg in 1975,  more delegates and their wives attended at St.John's then went to the Winnipeg convention. The reason probably being that most veterans wanted to see Newfoundland before they died and that they had made Newfoundland friends during the war. The aldermen of the city pulled Mayor Dorothy Wyatt into the Stadium in a dory and the party began.  No one had to leave their seats , the sons and daughters of legionnaires, (there were six branches in the city at that time),

delivered every seafood mentioned in the  rhyme ,along with plenty of Newfy beer to wash it down.

Not mentioned in the invite, is the seal flipper pie,

Many passed after one taste, I really don't know why!

After the sampling, they would look left and right,

Watching many put it down on the floor, was entertaining that night!

  

The following was our invitation to the Soiree

On June the sixth at seven o'clock

We're going to make the old town rock

Your visit gives us great delight

We hope that you have fun that night.

The Stadium is just the place

We really hope to see your face

My dear,when you eat our moose ball

You'll never want to leave at all.

And if you've never had the crabs,

Just think what you missed, my lads

There's caplin and so many things

Did you ever try our squid rings?

And then the few who don't eat fish

Will even get another dish

Just this once,we wil pamper you

We'll let you have some caribou.

Salt cod pudding or fish chowder

Makes you sing our songs much louder

Eat fish this year, we'll bake or boil

Next year, we may just strike some oil.

Screech is the stuff, which we call booze

One drink my son, you can't refuse

Our tourists all seem to buy it

Are you man enough to try it?

Sometimes our food gives you a pain

And some say we have too much rain

That's what you may have heard up there

You know the difference,now your're here

Our council wants you, to have fun

Visitors, Legionaires, each one

In your haste, don't ever pity

Those that live in St. John's city