MIDALE — Bull riding, rodeo events, a tractor parade, threshing demonstrations, a movie premiere and a show and shine will be among the highlights during a busy Saskatchewan Day long weekend in Midale.
Many of the events are being organized by the Souris Valley Antique Association as part of its Pioneer Echoes weekend, but other activities are happening.
The festivities start Aug. 1 with the annual bull bash and rodeo/mutton busting at the town's rodeo grounds. The gates, beer gardens and food booths open at 5 p.m. The bull bash competition starts at 7 p.m. A free, family-friendly cabaret featuring Moody Hallow is at 9:30 p.m.
Activities will happen throughout the day Aug. 2, starting with a pancake breakfast at the Main Street Museum at 8 a.m. A ranch rodeo and food booths will be at 10 a.m.
The heritage village opens at 11 a.m. with trade show, flea market, live blacksmith demonstrations and concessions.
The Truco Trick Riders will perform after the ranch rodeo; their show is scheduled for noon.
Free swimming will begin at the Midale Swimming Pool at 1 p.m., and beer gardens will open at the rodeo grounds at that time.
The threshermen's parade, which features an assortment of antique tractors, will start at 2:30 p.m., and live threshing demonstrations will follow. A chuck 'n' duck team roping competition will happen at 3 p.m.
Another free, family-friendly cabaret featuring Moody Hollow will begin at 8 p.m.
Many of the activities will happen again Aug. 3, including the pancake breakfast at 8 a.m., food booths and beer gardens at 11 a.m., the heritage village opening, also at 11 a.m., free swimming at 1 p.m., and the threshing parade and demonstration at 2:30 p.m.
There will also be harvest run barrel racing at the rodeo arena at 9 a.m., a church service at 11 a.m., a barbecue on Main Street at 11 a.m. that will benefit the new swimming pool fundraising, and the Midale Classy Car Show and Shine on Main Street at noon.
Glenn McGregor with the Pioneer Echoes said the association has added to the heritage village, and one new building will be ready to view. They hope the other structures will be ready for next year's 60th edition of the Pioneer Echoes Weekend.
The new Mainprize documentary will be shown during the weekend. A celebration of the life of beloved Midale physician Dr. William Graham Mainprize and the community as a whole, Mainprize will debut with an invite-only showing at 10 a.m. on Aug. 2 at Midale Central School. Further showings will be at 12:30 p.m. that day, plus 12:30 and 5 p.m. on Aug. 3. All showings will be at Midale Central School.
Dr. Mainprize arrived in the community in 1911 and continued to practice in the town until his retirement in the 1970s.
McGregor noted the parade has been pushed back to 2:30 p.m. each day to accommodate the documentary.
He said the association is always looking for new ideas to expand, and they like to see people come out and enjoy it as much as they enjoy hosting the festivities.
"I feel like this weekend really demonstrates a good representation of the past, not only for our community and surrounding communities, but it's a good representation of the past on how far we've come," said McGregor.
