Family Day is a relatively new holiday - instituted in Saskatchewan in 2007 - but already, there are annual events organized around the February weekend. Events hosted in Moose Mountain Provincial Park have become well-known within the area, as they provide families with a great way to spend the weekend together while enjoying the great outdoors.
With the current weather outlook for the weekend, there will be no excuse to skip the event this year and stay indoors.
Family Day Winter Fest is on Monday, Feb. 21 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. in Moose Mountain Provincial Park. It is poised to be a fun-filled afternoon with tobogganing, skating, hay rides, a wiener roast and much more.
While there is a vague itinerary for the day, most events occur throughout the afternoon. The big push is simply for families to come out and be active together while enjoying everything the park has to offer.
There will be a homemade cardboard toboggan parade at 3 p.m., with judging during the "Show and Shine" from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. This is a great opportunity for families to come out and participate in a project together where they get to put their creative minds to work.
As anyone who has visited the toboggan hill in the park knows, it's an absolute blast - one can really gain some momentum going down the hill. Safety is of utmost importance in the park, so helmets are encouraged.
Also, people can bring their dogs to the event, but they must be on-leash the entire time.
Another exciting part of the day is the snowmobile Fun Drags organized by the Moose Mountain Snowmobile Club. Anyone wanting to participate or watch should meet at the east side of Kenosee Lake near the Moosehead at 1 p.m.
For anyone who can't make it out to Moose Mountain Provincial Park on Family Day, there are events held on Saturday, Feb. 19, as well. Of course, it would mean double the fun to make it out to both.
The Kenosee Lake Lions Club is in charge of the Saturday events, as it hosts its first ever Winter Carnival. Starting at 9 a.m. with a pancake breakfast held at Moose Mountain Church of Christ, the day is packed full of various activities.
A fun hockey tournament is slated to start at 11 a.m. The cost for this is $100 a team. There is a six person limit for the team; goalies are provided. To register a team in advance, contact Clarke Lemieux at 577-1874.
An hour later at noon, a snowmobile derby will kick-off. Registration takes place at Moose Mountain Church of Christ. One hand will ding you for $5, or you can opt for three hands for $10. If you want more information, contact Stuart Balfour at 577-4446.
In order to ensure there is something for everyone at the Winter Carnival, a cross-country ski derby will start at 1 p.m. at Little Kenosee Lake. Again, one hand goes for $5, and three hands go for $10. Prizes for this event are sponsored by Fresh Air Experience, which also provides skis at Kenosee Inn for people to rent. For more information on this event, contact David Balfour at 577-1314.
To end off the fun-filled day, there will be a $10 beef of a bun supper held at Kenosee Lake Rec. Hall. Cocktails start at 6 p.m., with dinner - sponsored by Moose Mountain Auto Glass - starting at 7 p.m.
There will be prizes handed out after dinner, followed by a cabaret with no cover charge.
As with any fundraising event, the day would not be possible without a group of generous sponsors, which include: The Bar Bar in Kenosee; Kenosee Inn; Seed Hawk; and C&M Homes.
The Kenosee Lake Lions Club Winter Carnival is held as a fundraiser for the Lions group, and all money raised goes back to supporting the community.
If the Great Outdoors is not your thing, there is one other big event taking place in Carlyle over the weekend. Local singer/songwriters Lorri Solomon and Lane Easton will be performing on Friday, Feb. 18 with Jay Semko from the Northern Pikes. The concert takes place at Carlyle Memorial Hall at 7:30 p.m. All are talented performers and therefore sure to put on one great show that music-lovers won't want to miss. Tickets are available at the door for $20. Advance tickets are $15 and can be reserved by phone at 453-2402 or 483-2747, or by emailing gems@sasktel.net.
