The addition of a third venue for performers has generated rave reviews for the seventh annual Doghide River Festival [in 1998], according to festival chair Hazel Wagner.
“The theatre is a wonderful venue for dramatics and vocalists because the acoustics are so good in there. We only heard positive comments.”
On-stage entertainment ran all day long at all three venues this year – the RECplex auditorium, curling rink and theatre – allowing festival audiences to enjoy continuous entertainment from a wider array of entertainers.
“It was really well-received. There was more to watch than usual because of the venues,” Wagner stated. “All of the on-stage entertainment in all three venues was all different Sunday than Saturday. There were no repeats.”
The festival was well-attended with audience members travelling from various pans of the province to take in the arts & cultural events associated with the annual event. During the weekend, representatives of a Sask. Cultural group conducted interviews with festival goers for a marketing project being conducted on behalf of Saskatchewan Tourism.
“That’s a good sign,” Wagner commented.
As in previous years, the 1998 Doghide offered something for everyone by way of visual arts, dance, drama, music, and children's entertainment.
“There was some-thing for all ages and tastes,” Wagner said, adding the choreographed performance by the Notre Dame Youth Choir was extremely well-received.
New to this year’s Doghide was the Friday evening Dessert Theatre featuring three plays, including the TMSS production of Sally & Sam, which recently returned from the Porcupine Plain Drama Fest with second place. New additions like Saturday evening's dinner performance with Corey Reaume & The Flying Fish Fun Factory and Sunday afternoon's lunch with Ward Arnold and Maurice Taylor were also well-attended.
Though numbers were down for Saturday evening’s show and cabaret featuring the Big Band Experience and the Wadena Dixielanders, they did not affect the spirits of those in attendance.
“Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the music. It’s the most danceable music around and everyone was up dancing.
“I think we'll probably follow the same format with entertainment in all three venues over the whole festival next year. We'll always have a visual artists show and craft show but the artists and crafters may change,” Wagner said, adding successful entertainment from previous years may return in the future along with a healthy mix of the new and different.
Plans are already underway for the 1999 version of the festival, with several entertainers indicating they wish to return in the future. The event has been scheduled for the last weekend in April.
“We were certainly very pleased,” Wagner concluded. “A big thanks goes to our volunteers for without them, it's not possible to put it on.”
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