A group of kids showed off their dance moves, spinning in circles and bopping to the beat, while others bobbed their heads and sang along as local band Boomtown brought their brand of up-tempo country and rock out to the street dance in St. Paul’s downtown park last Wednesday night.
The local band performed a series of crowd-pleasing covers that had the audience cheering at the end of the night.
“We’re very happy it was a beautiful evening,” said Penny Fox, chair of Champions for Change, which fundraises for the event. She noted the group was pleased to see more than 200 people, including families and people of all backgrounds, enjoying the free event.
“This year, we wanted to focus on this being the end of summer,” she explained, adding the event offered, “One more night the kids can be up late.”
The group’s downtown revitalization sub-committee organized the event, with the support and help of Town of St. Paul’s Recreation and Public Works department.
“Their focus is bringing energy and excitement to the downtown core,” said Fox of the sub-committee. “The street dance definitely does that.”
Last year’s street dance featured the singing talents of local WT Goodspirit, but the event was rained out. This year, the weather stayed warm and dry, and everyone was able to stay out until the two-hour event wrapped up at 9 p.m.
The downtown committee regularly organizes the Party in the Park event to bring energy to the downtown core, and this year, businesses and not-for-profits joined in by holding sales and handing out food and drink, under the banner of Rock the Block, during the day.
“Having Rock the Block this year was excellent,” said Fox, noting several people were out cruising the streets to check out local businesses and enjoy free goodies being handed out, such as sno-cones and popcorn, while also entering draws for gift baskets and checking out items on sale.
For Fox, it was the first time she saw bannock being cooked, as the Saddle Lake Boys and Girls Club cooked and sold bannock burgers and dogs as a fundraiser. The group’s fundraiser went so well, that they sold out of the bannock in an hour, and had to replace it with regular burgers and dogs, raising $500 in the process for the club’s crafts and outings.
“It was just nice to see that excitement in downtown,” said Fox of the event.
Fox said that Champions for Change was having a wrap-up session this week, and that the group was already thinking about what they might plan and how they will expand for next year as part of the Party in the Park series, for instance, perhaps, by bringing the Community Connector out and offering supper, following a day of activities in the downtown core.
The group is all about showcasing local artistic talent, evidenced in the street banners hanging on main street, the plaques that are starting to be put up around town showcasing St. Paul history and, as Fox points out, the talents of people like the musicians in Boomtown.
“We have so much of that talent here, we need to find ways to showcase it a little better.”
A major strength of the group and successful events lies in volunteer efforts, and to that end, she invited people interested in bringing their talents and energies to the table by volunteering to call her at (780) 645-5782.
