The gymnasium at the Prairie Fusion Arts and Entertainment Centre is transformed into a bustling battleground on Tuesday afternoon, filled with the sounds of laughter and the soft thwack of foam darts.
The centre hosted its inaugural Nerf Extravaganza, a community event aimed at bringing all ages together for an afternoon of active fun.
From 12 PM to 4 PM, participants aged eight to adult dove behind cardboard box barriers for team deathmatches and free-for-alls.
The event served as a successful test run for the centre, which plans to expand and upgrade the Nerf battles in the future.
A hit with participants of all ages
The event saw a wide range of participants, all sharing in the excitement.
There were a range of different games played as well, from a team-based mode where each participant had three "lives", also known as deathmatch, to a free for all, and even a duelling tournament, with a grand prize of a brand new nerf gun being awarded to the winner.
Participants were encouraged to bring their own guns if they wished, but to refrain from bringing their own ammo, with Prarie Fusion providing toy guns procured from local thrift stores, along with hundreds upon hundreds of foam darts to fling.
For Aiyden, a student going into Grade 8, the appeal was simple and nostalgic.
“I really enjoy shooting games in general. I grew up with them, and this is just the real-life version of that without, you know, violence. It's really fun. I love it,” Aiyden says.
The joy of the game was just as clear for younger attendees like Hudson, who is going into Grade 5. His favourite part of the day was reconnecting with a classic childhood activity.
“Probably nailing a couple of people with Nerf darts because I haven't done it in ages, it feels like,” Hudson says. “Yeah, really happy.”
The event wasn’t just for kids. Twenty-four-year-old Nick was also on the battlefield, enjoying the chance to play and watch others have a great time.
“Just like watching everybody have fun moving around and stuff, and, you know, eliminating kids is pretty fun,” Nick states, adding that he would absolutely return. “We've got to get kids out more. Get 'em out more, and you know, it's a reason to bring out the Nerf guns.”
A vital success for the centre’s future
Beyond the fun and games, the event carried significant weight for the Prairie Fusion Arts and Entertainment Centre.
Executive Director Timothy Brown explained that the idea, spawned by a staff member and a local Nerf enthusiast, is part of a broader strategy to secure the centre’s future.
“It's been a tight couple of years with Prairie fusion financially, and we were looking at ways to integrate ourselves back into the community,” Brown notes, “Our best way forward is community events like this, where we can pull people in and give them the chance to experience our space differently; that way, we're able to keep our doors open for years to come.”
Brown confirmed that due to the positive turnout and reception, the centre plans to hold another Nerf event in the fall or over the Christmas break. Plans include professional inflatable barriers, more elaborate maze-like structures, and new game modes like capture the flag.
“We're going to be looking at more professional inflatable barriers, things you blow up and take down, looking at building more sturdy barriers,” Brown adds.
The centre will also be soliciting feedback from participants and local tabletop gaming groups to improve the experience.
As the afternoon wrapped up, the sound of laughter and play was exactly what the centre hoped to hear. Brown had a message for those who attended.
“Thank you so much for coming out. You make Prairie fusion happen. Without their support, we wouldn't be here,” he said. “It's great to hear everyone laughing and playing and yeah, filling our halls with noise.”
