For first-rate family entertainment, Barrhead is the place to be on Saturday.
Organizers are appealing for fun-seekers to converge on the town in record numbers and make the 2013 festival a spectacular success.
Last year it is estimated 1,000 people or more came to the festival, some from Edmonton and Whitecourt, others Thunder Lake, Lac La Nonne and Westlock.
With Barrhead enjoying wonderfully warm weather, attendance could well be even better.
“It should be a fantastic time for all the family,” said festival committee chair Carol Farnalls last week. “We would love to see record crowds come out and enjoy this special day in the town’s calendar. Most events are free for everyone.”
The festival will again carry “A Penny Carnival” theme, which has proved so successful.
A feast of fun is on offer, with all the usual ingredients and more: a pie-eating contest, petting zoo, pony rides, dance demonstrations, carnival games, dunk tank, face painting, bouncy castles, merchant sales, street displays, free helium balloons at Your Dollar Store With More and Fyfe’s Games Centre.
There will also be an Art Club show at the Gazebo, while the Photo Club will be exhibiting at the Catholic Church.
One of the new attractions this year is a visit to Kees De Wildt’s dairy farm about three miles outside Barrhead.
Between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., visitors will be able to see the milk parlour and learn how the cows are treated. Of course, children will be able to get up close and personal to calves.
As an added incentive, visitors will receive chocolate milk from the plant.
Among the unusual characters on view in the downtown area will be four stilt walkers.
“They are back by popular demand,” said Farnalls. “Anyone who hasn’t seen them should do so – they are amazing and generate a lot of excitement among children.
“As happened last year, there will also be a step-up stilt workshop, which will give people a chance to learn how to walk on stilts.”
Whitecourt’s XM105 will also have a presence, selling tickets from its vehicle for US country music star Brad Paisley’s “Beat this Summer’ concert on Saturday, Oct. 26 at Edmonton’s Rexall Place.
“Beat this Summer” is the name of a song from Paisley’s latest album “Wheelhouse” on which he does a duet with LL Cool J. A dollar from every ticket will go towards disaster relief in Haiti.
Paisley fans can download a free app at his site which will make their phones display many colours during the concert.
Here is the festival program. The Main Street entertainment will include: 9-10:30 a.m., a pancake breakfast at the Gazebo; 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Russ the Balloon Artist; 11 a.m. -3 p.m., caricatures by the Nose, Rob Guthrie; 12-4 p.m., stilt walkers; 12-4 p.m., step-up stilt workshop; 1 p.m., firefighter challenge for kids; and 2 p.m., Sanderman’s pet parade.
Meanwhile, on the flat deck outside Dennis Donkers’ bakery there will be doughnut decoration (11:30-12:30 p.m.); pie-eating contest (1-2 p.m.); and draw for grand prizes (3 p.m.).
The grand prize package gives people who shop at participating merchants between Monday, May 27 and 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 1, a chance to win $1,200 in grocery gift cards.
Draw boxes will be in those stores that contributed to the festival. There are chances to win four gift cards – two for $500, two for $100.
If festivalgoers get hungry, no need to worry. There will be plenty of food available, from smokies, hot dogs and ice cream, to cotton candy and popcorn.
As is traditional, the soapbox derby organized by the Town of Barrhead’s recreation department will run in the morning. Registration takes place at the hill on the southside of the Co-op at 9 a.m.
It will be the 14th edition of the races which will see young speed merchants donning helmets and zipping down the hill of 47th Avenue, near the Co-op.
Photographers should stay alert … each race will be over in seconds.
