Numerous activities will be happening in southeast Saskatchewan for Canada Day this year.
Bienfait is looking forward to welcoming people for its festivitiesCanada Day celebrations will start with a take and go pancake and sausage breakfast for $5. This will be held from 7-9 a.m. at the rink. The Southern Plains Co-op has donated the food, and the Bienfait Fire Department has volunteered to serve the breakfast. There will be tables set up in the rink for those who wish to dine in.
The parade, which is always a highlight, will look a little bit different. The board has decided to have a regular parade, but changed the route in order to facilitate social distancing regulations. The parade will head north on Weldon Road, turn east on Railway Avenue to Carbon Street and end at Weldon School.
They do ask that there be no interaction between the floats and the spectators, so candy and flags will not be tossed out. They also ask that spectators please physically distance themselves between households around the parade route.
The initial plan was for a reverse parade, with people walking past the floats, but the committee was able to host the traditional parade.
When the reverse parade is finished, Main Street will be blocked off, and there will be a show and shine, trade show and various food trucks.
Some of the perennially popular activities will be back, such as the miniature firefighters rodeo, which will be by the fire hall on Railway Avenue, the firefighters versus farmers baseball game at 3 p.m. and a petting zoo. The Bienfait Coalfields Historical Museum will be open.
“We have a few new activities brought into our celebrations as well. In connection with the Canada Day celebration being our major fundraiser for the parks and rec. board, we are currently having a 50-50 draw in progress,” Jones said.
Tickets are $2 each or three for $5, and the draw will occur on their Facebook page on Canada Day.
There will also be a Miner Selfie Hut, with prizes supplied by Energy Outlet Indoor Play Zone. The Miners logo will be hidden throughout town, and people are to find them, take a selfie and post it to their Facebook page.
The day will end with fireworks at dusk. The launch point will be launched at the Bienfait Weldon School.
The Canada Day celebration is the major fundraiser of the year for the Bienfait Parks and Recreation Board, which supports minor baseball, minor hockey, the Bienfait swimming pool, the school community council, the arena and the curling rink.
Last year’s Canada Day celebrations in Bienfait were cancelled, and Jones hopes to see many familiar faces out.
“This is our major fundraiser, so with all of the groups that the rec board supports, it really does a lot for the town.”
The Estevan Kinsmen and Kinettes Clubs also have modified their Canada Day plans. They cannot have July 1 festivities at their park in the Hillside subdivision, due to COVID restrictions, so they have decided to give away ice cream cones or dilly bars to the first 100 people at each of the participating ice cream stops in Estevan.
DQ Grill and Chill, Friends Iceland, KoN Artisan Ice Cream and A Cherry on Top are on board.
Mainprize Regional Park has activities planned from July 1-3. On Canada Day, there will be kids crafts at Pederson Place at 10 a.m., a car parade through the park at 2 p.m. and fireworks at 9 p.m.
A glow golf tournament will occur at 9 p.m. on July 2 at Mainprize Golf Course, and a Karissa Hoffart concert will be held 7 p.m. on July 3.
Slow-pitch will be happening all day each day.
There will also be Canada Day celebrations happening at the Carnduff Centennial Park. Activities will start at 4 p.m., and will include free swimming, music with DJ Hu, and fireworks at dusk.
The celebrations in Redvers will include a public swim from 1-7 p.m. with games, snacks, music and more, slow pitch all day, a parade at 7 p.m. and fireworks at dusk.
The Town of Stoughton will host fireworks for Canada Day at dusk at the fairgrounds. A post on the town’s Facebook page said town council has spoken with one of its neighbouring bands and with their support they have decided to continue on with the fireworks. We will be having a moment of silence before the fireworks to reflect and show support to Indigenous communities.
They also encourage people to wear orange or hang an orange ribbon on their vehicle to show respect and support for all those affected during this difficult time.
The Town of Oxbow will host its Canada Day celebrations on July 2 with a fireworks show at dusk at Bow Valley Park.
