It was a special day of family fun set aside to honour and celebrate the past, present, and future of this tough, resilient, little prairie town. Attendance far exceeded all expectations and if attendance is any indication, the future of Coronach looks bright.
Organizers of the event certainly did their part, the weatherman finally cooperated, and citizens of the south country happily responded by arriving in droves to lend their support. It was a day reminiscent of the good old days when everyone showed up in town on Saturday to get their mail, do their shopping, and spend quality time visiting with family and friends. According to organizers of this year’s festival, nearly 1,000 people showed up to enjoy the day.
In an interview, event coordinator Hannah Cook said, “The festival was a huge success. The rain cleared, the sun came out, and so did the people. It was really great to see everyone visiting, and kids enjoying the activities.”
The Old Coronach Street Festival, as it is so aptly called, certainly lived up to its name. It was a full, jam-packed day of events and fun activities for the whole family. Events and special activities included: an old fashioned street market, a classic car show, scavenger hunts, blacksmith demonstrations, axe throwing, bouncy-castles for the children, an on-site street artist, and an Escape Room for everyone at the Community Hall. Food vendors were present and busy all day.
Other events included: kite building at the Legion hall; new wall muraln - sponsored by Sask Arts - unveiling and ribbon-cutting ceremony; live theatre and history performances by a Saskatoon Theatre Company; and documentary film screenings of “Lift, Spur” by Radville film-maker Kristin Catherwood at the Legion hall. This short, 29 minute film, features three young teenage friends and rodeo cowboys from the Coronach area. The film’s producer/director, and young cowboys featured in the film, were all on hand to answer questions that arose from the screenings. Forty-two people attended the first screening, and 25 were in attendance for the second.
“The best part of the day was seeing Coronach bustling with people,” organizer Cook enthusiatically added. “The car show alone took up an entire block. I think everyone who came to town (today) was impressed with the turnout and the wide range of vendors and activities.”
Special thanks are extended to event sponsors and to the Old Coronach Street Festival Committee: Courtney Setrum, Janel Korbo, Mike Martin, Kelsey Manske, and festival coordinator Hannah Cook.
