The August Long Weekend will be bright and active in Lac La Biche County as the annual Summer Days event takes over the community.
Starting with Friday's parade at 11, — actually starting a bit earlier with a $5 pancake breakfast at the Heritage Society at 8:30 — the weekend kicks off with activities, food, culture and fun.
Do you like the singing bands? They have that with Dirt Road Angels and local band Last Minute bringing their originals and cover tunes to life through the weekend. How about some fishing fun for the kids? Sure, got that too — with the Children's Fish Derby at the Hamilton Park trout pond. There's Indigenous dancers, jugglers, pancake breakfasts, a trick-riding horse show, fireworks and of course the midway rides.
The Summer Days events, operating under the Lac La Biche Pow Wow Days and Fish Derby Association, have an underlying community and cultural component at just about every turn. Local groups, including the local Lac La Biche Ladies Muslim Association have joined the organizing committee to help with events. At Sunday's demonstration of Indigenous dancing — Fancy Dance and Jingle — a round dance will help to link visitors and join the communities.
"This presentation is appropriate for all people of all ages and all backgrounds as we gather in the spirit of reconciliation," says Randi Lynn Candline, a jingle dancer and cultural mental health presenter, who will be organizing the dance presentations.
Business and community support
Other community support for the weekend of events comes from the direct support of local and regional businesses.
"Our community has been established and built by solid people, regardless of the ethnicity," says Lavon Fleming, the coordinator of this year's Summer Days and the president of the Lac La Biche Pow Wow Days and Fish Derby Association. "And when it is time for the community to come together, we do. All differences are put aside and we stand as one for the bigger cause."
A list of events held by groups across the region, including musical festivals, rodeos, sporting activities, mud bogs, horticulture shows, and fundraising events whether for health needs or frisbee parks, is all possible because of continuing and dedicated business support, says Fleming.
"We get all sorts of grants from every level of government, especially our municipality, but most importantly it's that continued support from our local and regional businesses that keep these events going," she said. "The business community has assisted every event in our community for years. Think of the money given for decades."
With many of those businesses rebounding from the pandemic, Summer Days did not approach business for sponsorship this year — not to exclude them from participating, Fleming says, but because of the economic impact so many are still dealing with.
In the years to come, with some new events in place, there will be opportunities for local businesses to offer financial support if they are able, she added.
The 2022 event is a year of growth, come 2023 the event will have evolved. Discussions in the organization for a monster truck show has been initiated — it could cost about $20,000," Fleming said, adding that a motorcycle stunt show, additional bands for Music in the Park and more free-of-charge events for children and families are all in the works. And all will need that financial help from local hands. "With the evolution comes the need for sponsorship, and organizers for sub events. On behalf of the Summer Days committee, we appreciate the sponsors of all of the Lac la Biche County events, your generosity does not go unnoticed nor is it forgotten."
