Everyone knows that the Saskatchewan Summer Games will bring many of Saskatchewan’s top young athletes to the Estevan area from July 24 to 30.
But it will also be a showcase for all that Estevan has to offer, including cultural opportunities.
The details for the different cultural activities that will happen in Estevan during the Games have been revealed. The Estevan Art Gallery and Museum (EAGM), Estevan Arts Council, Estevan Public Library, the Souris Valley Museum, the Souris Valley Theatre and Tourism Estevan will all host different events.
“What a great opportunity to not only show off all that we have to offer in terms of culture, heritage and tourism, but to really provide something for guests and people from the southeast alike,” said EAGM director Amber Andersen, who is also the culture representative for the Games.
“I really look forward to seeing all that is offered during that time.”
Andersen spoke with all the different organizations in Estevan to find out what they had happening this summer.
“Obviously, they have things that are going on anyways, so it was really perfect that we were able to put something together for the Games,” said Andersen.
Many of the activities will be taking place at an art tent at the EAGM. The Estevan Arts Council (EAC) will host a children’s drop-in craft at the tent at 10 a.m. on July 25, 26, 28 and 29. Young people will also make chalk logos at 6 p.m. on July 26.
Diana Chisholm, who is the artist-in-residence at the EAC, has also developed a couple other activities for the Games.
“The first is a street art installation that allows community members, parents and athletes to remix the logos for each Summer Games event, in various locations around the city in sidewalk chalk,” states a promotional write-up for the cultural activities. “The second project will be a photo collage that athletes will be adding to over the course of the week.”
The EAGM will have sports-related art exhibits on display throughout the Summer Games. A reception for the exhibits will be held on July 28, starting at 7 p.m.
“We’re expecting to have Belinda Kriek in to talk about her show, Spectate, which is all about (Saskatchewan) Roughrider fanaticism, which is really interesting,” said Andersen.
Also on display will be the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame’s Chalk, Wheat and Diamonds exhibit, which is about baseball in Saskatchewan, and Lee Goreas’ exhibit It’s All Greek to Me.
The EAGM will also use the tent to host a local art showcase on July 27 at 6 p.m., a children’s art exhibit for participants in their summer arts camps on July 28 at 5 p.m., and a parking lot party fundraising cabaret on July 29 at 8 p.m.
“What a great opportunity to not only show off all that we have to offer in terms of culture, heritage and tourism…” Summer Games culture rep Amber Andersen.
The Souris Valley (SV) Theatre will kick off their events with an exhibit, Estevan and the Southeast During Prohibition, at the art tent at 6 p.m.
Then the Volstead Blues, an all-ages show that depicts Estevan during the days of Prohibition, will be performed at the theatre’s Frehlick Hall at 7:30 p.m. each night from July 25 to 29.
The Volstead Blues was the first show performed at the Souris Valley Theatre in 1991, and it has returned to the Energy City several times since then, thanks to the popularity of the production. It was chosen to be part of this year’s theatre season due to its local relevance.
The Estevan Public Library and the SV Museum will each have one event. The library will host a miniature golf fundraiser on July 25 at 5 p.m. A nine-hole mini golf course will be set up inside the library for families to play. There will be themed greens from the library’s Lego Club and Harry Potter Alliance, and there will be a glow-in-the-dark green.
The SV Museum will host a pioneer game challenge at 1 p.m. on July 27. The afternoon event will allow people to try different games that pioneers used to play.
“There will be various activities such as tug-of-war, sack and three-legged races, and many more,” states the promotional write-up.
Tourism Estevan will have their energy tours at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. each day, with visits to the Westmoreland Coal Company’s Estevan mine site, and SaskPower’s Shand Power Station and Shand Greenhouse.
The theme of the Estevan Games is to Energize the Games, and Andersen said they wanted to do that not only with the sports that are offered, but with the cultural activities and other events happening in the city. They believe they have succeeded in doing just that.
