CTV News is coming to a hometown near you next week.
CTV Saskatoon has confirmed that the CTV Home Town Tour will be stopping in Northwest region communities next week from May 28 to June 1.
The plan is to begin the tour with a live broadcast from Landis, midway between Biggar and Unity, Monday. Then it is on to Eatonia Tuesday and Spiritwood Wednesday. The broadcast from Spiritwood will originate from the big wolf statue on Main Street and Railway Avenue, with the Recplex the indoor backup location.
They plan to stop in Rosthern Thursday and then wrap up the tour Friday, June 1 in Meota.
It is the RM of Meota is officially hosting the tour next Friday, with the news broadcast to originate from a new park across from the RM offices, at 1st Street East and 2nd Avenue in Meota.
The tour is a chance for CTV to travel beyond the studio and showcase the towns in their viewing area beyond Saskatoon.
Broadcasting live on location will be CTV Saskatoon anchor Chantel Huber, who spoke to the Regional Optimist Wednesday.
"There's a lot Saskatchewan has to offer," said Huber. She adds communities like hosting CTV as well, because it "gives them a chance to showcase what they have," including businesses or tourist attractions that many might not know about.
The day usually sees the anchors taken on a tour of the community led by local officials, to "show us basically what the community has to offer and show us the different sights and sounds and we meet a lot of people along the way," said Huber.
She says she is particularly looking forward to the Meota portion of the trip, where she's never been before.
Nominations were put in on behalf of the chosen communities. The Meota nomination was submitted by the Village of Meota, the RM and also the Resort Village of Metinota.
"All three put in the pitch and decided together that they could show us a good time, so we're really looking forward to it," said Huber.
Plans were still being formulated this week as to what will be taking place during the tour, but what is confirmed is that the CTV Saskatoon newscast will take place from the communities at 6 p.m. each night, with the first 20 to 25 minutes broadcast live on location. The broadcast normally takes place outdoors and showcases the sights and sounds from the community that day.
"Oftentimes we will be doing live interviews with some of the people from the community, and we like to get the crowds involved, too" said Huber.
This isn't the first time Huber has been on tour in this region. She had been to North Battleford along with co-anchor Rob MacDonald as part of a previous CTV Home Town Tour broadcast in recent years.
Unlike past years when MacDonald joined the tour, Huber will be joined on location by weatherman Jeff Rogstad, who will act as co-host this year.
The hope is that Rogstad will also bring good weather along for the upcoming trip.
If not, the CTV team is ready for any eventuality. Huber recalled one time when the Home Town Tour was in Kenaston and ended up caught in a hailstorm, so they had to move inside for the broadcast.
"You never know - it's live TV so anything can happen, but we always have a backup plan just in case the weather is not cooperating with us," said Huber.
