The 5th Annual Boissevain Street Fest is taking place this Saturday with the entire day packed with family fun activities and events for all ages!
"It has grown so much over the past 5 years," says event coordinator and Executive Assistant for Boissevain-Morton, Melissa Perkins. "We have so many different local businesses and service groups and clubs that are a part of this event and it really has grown great momentum over the years. And so, it seems to be having an even more action-packed lineup every single year, which is fantastic!"
Everything kicks off with the townwide garage sales starting at 9 am, says Perkins. Great deals and unique treasures are to be found till noon.
As well local businesses will be sharing fantastic sales and items during the downtown sidewalk sales.
The Soap Box Derby starts rolling at 11 am
A favorite each year is the annual Soapbox Derby that takes place on Cook Street, sponsored by the Boissevain Lions Club.
Local Lions Club member, Gordon Turner, says the Soapbox Derby always draws big crowds to watch the fun as these non-motorized cars make their way down the hill, sometimes pretty precariously.
"It's going back to the day of gravity pulling you down the hill," he says. "So, whoever can make the car with the least amount of friction and drive the straightest is going to win the race."
The local Lions Club has provided the car kits and have some extra cars to race if a family would like to get in on the fun but don't have a vehicle to use for their children. Also, Turner says there are some families whose kids have outgrown their soapbox cars and so those are available to be passed on to those wishing to participate.
"The reason we sell kits is so that everybody has the same wheels and the same steering, so nobody has a big advantage over the other person, where if somebody had to use some wheels off a lawn mower, the next person bought expensive bearing wheels, that wouldn't be a fair race, so that's the idea of the kits," he explains.
Racing the cars down Cook Street hill is the ultimate thrill, but the fun begins in the assembly of the car, and of the designing and painting of the cars, each unique to each family. "There's been everything from, well, I made a Zamboni for my own grandson, and there's been a stagecoach in there and all kinds of race cars and farm equipment. It's whatever pops into your mind. And we have trophies for the different categories, most original design and that type of thing too," adds Turner.
Soapbox Derby Registration opens at 9:30 am, practice races to follow, main event at 11 am on Cook Street heading south.
Downtown visitors will also be able to get in on the vendors market where approximately 30 venders from the local area as well as out of the Boissevain Region will be showcasing their products all day Saturday. In addition the Get Local Art Show in the Casey Gunther Designs Gallery will feature local art and live demos and artisans.
"We have so many talented local artists in our community that this is a really nice way to showcase them," shares Perkins.
A barbecue lunch fundraiser by Westman Animal Rescue will run from 11 am to 4 pm. As well a Carnival Lunch fundraiser will be held by the Turtle Mountain Métis.
12pm-6pm Caricaturist Alan Sideen is returning once again by popular demand!
"He will be on site starting at noon offering free caricature drawings, which are pretty cool," says Perkins. "If you haven't seen him and checked out his tent, the drawings, the cartoon drawings he does are just fantastic and there's usually quite a lineup for him. So, if you see him, go check out his tent early!"
Carnival games and a bouncy castle will be at the Boundary Co-op Kids Club Zone at the Romance of the Railway Park.
"We also have a free mini golf that's right through the middle of the street from 12-4 as well, open to all ages. If you finish all nine holes you can be entered to win a prize. You just head on down to our info booth tent and we'll get you entered. And again, that's free. We also have the ever-popular face painters. The Sunrise face painting tent is in the street and that runs from 12 to 4 with just some beautiful, beautiful face painting designs! And in addition to that, we also will have henna tattoos and festival hair braiding."
Pie Eating Contest is sure to be a hoot! Call out for participants!
"Back this year is the pie eating contest, which is really fun, some old-time carnival fun," shares Perkins. "That is being hosted by Sunrise Credit Union and Boundary Co-op. And anyone that would like to register for the pie eating contest can sign up right on the day of Street Fest at the information booth tent."
"We are excited to bring back the pie eating contest," shares Sunrise Credit Union Branch Manager, Derien Penziwol. "Actually, we are looking for 12 to 15 individuals to participate. I think 15 will be our cap this year just because it's the first year that we're bringing it back."
"And Sunrise will be sponsoring the winner with a $500 fuel gift card from Co-op. So, we're trying to sweeten the pot a little bit there to drive the event, have some fun, make sure that the interest is there. So, we're really excited to team up with Co-op," says Penziwol.
"It's always a great event," he adds. "It's always a fun filled event for the kids and the town and the community and surrounding area!"
Puppet Workshop and Puppet Show new to this year's Streetfest!
This workshop is a puppet building event for all ages. "This is really cool," says Melissa Perkins. This is going to be a community. It's like, so it's a community puppet building workshop for all ages. You can come out and design and build life-size and oversize puppets for this new pageant production. The title of it is called Return of the Boissevain Turtle Derby and it will be performed right down in the street there at 2:00 PM."
2pm Puppet Show: Return of the Turtle Boissevain Derby
"So, the idea is you come on down to the workshop that's going to start at 10:00 AM. Make your puppets and then be a part of the show at 2:00. So that's kind of something new and different and we're excited for that. The show will employ masks and puppets of all sizes created by participants from the community in the workshop as mentioned, and it will celebrate several varieties of turtles and other animals who appear in the text of the story. There's no experience necessary to participate, and we encourage everyone to check it out and be a part of it!"
Live Entertainment is sure to get your toes tapping!
Live entertainment includes Lyle Baldwin with his guitar and fiddle on the outdoor stage at 2:30, as well as Vintage Voltage at 7:30 which is a classic rock band that is sure remind folks of the 70's and 80's.
Now, in addition to that, we've got Lyle Baldwin, who's always a boy's main favorite, multi-instrumentalist and vocalist. He'll be performing on the outdoor stage at 2:30 PM. So we encourage people to bring their dancing shoes for that.
There's so much to see and do at this year's Street Fest, and it's FREE!
"Yes, it's absolutely free. This is a downtown festival where you can come down and just enjoy yourself. There we'll even have local businesses that are handing out free carnival treats like popcorn and you know it's just pretty incredible to see how our community comes together to make this something truly for everyone that everyone can come down and enjoy Boissevain's Street Fest," explains Perkins.
"Everyone is invited! We love it when visitors from other communities come down and participate in our Boissevain Street Fest. We have vendors coming from all over, far outside of our region. I've been receiving inquiries from people out on the other side of the province that have heard about our Street Fest and they're excited to come and check it out," she adds.
"So yes, this is something where you can come down and enjoy some good old-time carnival type fun, live entertainment, pie eating contests, carnival treats in the street and just connect and enjoy a nice fall Saturday in downtown Boissevain!"
For the full itinerary of events and times for Saturday's Street Fest line up, visit the Boissevain-Morton website HERE!