LAC LA BICHE - Live It Up! Eat It Up! Ride It Up! Fish It Up! Fun It Up at Lac La Biche Summer Days.
Fun It Up? Hmm. That last one might not be a proper phrase — but it's meaning is 100-per-cent authentic when it comes to the weekend of activities lined-up for the annual Lac La Biche Summer Days celebration from Aug. 4-6.
Riding on a 60-year history of the Lac La Biche Pow Wow Days weekend, the re-branded Summer Days celebration brings the past to the future, and people to the community for a weekend of parades, fishing, midway rides, a children's fish derby, music, a show-and-shine, dancing, slo-pitch, water bombers, pancakes, a community fish fry... did we mention pancakes and parades?
With all that going on, Lac La Biche Pow Wow Days and Fish Derby Association President Neil Timm says it's been tough to fit all the events onto posters and advertisements.
"It's a busy weekend, that's for sure. Rain or shine we'll have events for the whole family," he said, respecting the decades-long history of the community premiere summer weekend celebration. "People come from near and far for this weekend. They know we have a great time, and they know it's such a great place for them to have a great time."
Some changes, but still fun
This years events — well, mainly the locations of the events, says Timm — have seen a few changes due to several construction and community growth projects in Lac La Biche. Due to a summer-long downtown construction project, Friday morning's parade route has been modified to avoid the Main Street mayhem, and upgrades to the Lac La Biche Recreation Grounds and parts of McArthur Park mean that the multi-team slo-pitch tournament will be played out at the Bold Center Sports Fields this year. There's a few other changes to locations ... like the midway rides, which also had to be moved from their long-standing spot at McArthur Park. The rides and games will take over an open lot near the downtown, along 103 street near the Aurora Middle School.
It's a party, says Timm, and sometimes parties need a change. That's why there's party planners, and Timm says the organizers behind the events at Summer Days this year are ready for a great weekend.
"It's a community event. We've got community groups hosting events and providing that great community feel that we are known for."
A full schedule of the Summer Days events can be found at www.lakelandtoday.ca. Live It Up in Lac La Biche Aug. 4-6.
