There has been talk of moving the Battleford Parade and fireworks to another date, but nothing is going to change this year.
According to minutes of the Battlefords and District Parks and Recreation Board presented to Battleford town councillors Monday, it was decided to leave the date the same for this year and to try and move it, perhaps in line with Territorial Days, in the future.
The minutes indicated a possibility of suggesting Fortfest, put on at Fort Battleford, might be moved as well to tie in with the parade.
Speaking to the minutes, Councillor Ames Leslie, a member of the recreation board, said July 1 had been considered as a possible date, but they probably wouldn't get the crowd or entries they want or need. He added, feedback from the community is that, because the North Battleford and Battleford parade are so far apart, entrants, especially corporate entries, don't want to have to come up with a second float. (In years past, Northwest Territorial Days was held in July, so the two parades were often within days of each other.)
It has been a tradition that Battleford's parade runs the Friday of the Saskatchewan Handcraft Festival weekend. The recreation board doesn't want to take away from the annual event, said Leslie, but the Handcraft Festival, presented by the Saskatchewan Craft Council, has become a much more scaled-down event from what it used to be.
"It's rapidly reducing," he said.
At one time, the craft sale portion filled the arena while the Saskatchewan Craft Council's juried art exhibition of provincial scope, titled Dimensions, was on display in the Alex Dillabough Centre, where the craft sale now takes place.
The awarding of prizes at the opening of Dimensions, including the Premier's Prize, brought provincial attention, and resultant crowds to the Handcraft Festival. But the opening of the prestigious Dimensions was eventually moved to take place at the Norman MacKenzie Art Gallery in Regina. The exhibition of Dimensions at the Chapel Gallery in North Battleford has been timed, however, to coincide with the Saskatchewan Handcraft Festival.
No longer annual, since 2009, Dimensions has been put together only every two years.
Leslie said it would be nice to get Dimensions back to the Handcraft Festival, and the recreation board would like council to ask the local MLA and minister of Parks, Culture and Sport about bringing it back. The executive director of Destination Battlefords, Ryan Bater, he added, has been advocating for its return as well.
In terms of visiting successes of the past, Councillor David George said he would like to see the return of the street dance Battleford used to have. It was very successful, he said.
It used to take place in the fenced in tennis courts beside Court of Queen's Bench, however that area is now commercial. George said there might be some other venue within the town that could be considered.
Mayor Derek Mahon noted next year is Canada's 150th birthday, so it may be a time to look at something special.
