Left to right, Coun. Shelley Boutin-Gervais, Tim Pruden (back), Gail Sack, Coun. Judy Pruden, and Suzanne Reid, some of the members of the Battleford Community Spirit Group, come together at the Fall Festival and Street Fair in Battleford, Saturday. (Angela Brown/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Angela Brown

Community celebration

Success for rescheduled Battleford street festival

Sep 22, 2019 | 9:20 AM

Under sunny skies, with temperatures sitting at a balmy 18 C , the first Fall Festival and Street Fair in Battleford took off with a healthy turnout Saturday.

The sounds of Fleetwood Mac filled the downtown park as one of the bands in the line-up played several popular cover songs at the gazebo stage, entertaining families who strolled along the main street or relaxed in the park while having a bite to eat.

One of the bands takes the stage under the gazebo to perform some Fleetwood Mac cover songs at the downtown park. (Angela Brown/battlefordsNOW Staff)

Organized by the Battleford Community Spirit Group volunteer committee, the event included everything from a pie-baking contest, to displays by various vendors as well as a range of offerings at several food stands. There was also a wagon ride with tours of historic Battleford sites and a classic car show.

“It’s wonderful,” Mayor Ames Leslie said. “The Spirit Group did tremendous work getting this off the ground. To see the support by the vendors, the car [show] group and even the pie contest and the live music is just tremendous.”

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Leslie said the event was also a boost for local businesses.

Downtown Battleford along 22 St. was bustling with activity Saturday afternoon for the first street festival. The road was closed to traffic while families browsed vendors’ displays, visited businesses and sampled some of the tasty offerings from several food booths on the route. (Angela Brown/battlefordsNOW Staff)

The festival was originally scheduled for July but had to be cancelled shortly after it commenced when a storm suddenly moved into the area.

Gail Sack, a member of the organizing committee, was pleased the new date worked out so well.

“All the booths are busy and the vendors are happy, ” she said, while helping tidy up at one of the tables during the afternoon. “It’s just a great feeling out here.”

Battleford Community Spirit Group member Suzanne Reid offers a couple slices of homemade pie from the pie baking contest. (Angela Brown/battlefordsNOW Staff)

Those involved in youth Avery Donahue’s Christmas project, the Lights of Joy fundraiser campaign to light the downtown park trees, managed to sell enough light-strands for 14 of 16 trees. Lights are still for sale for the remaining two trees. Funds raised benefit the non-profit Battleford Community Spirit Group to hold future community events. The tree-lighting kick off will take place in November.

The street festival and fair saw about 55 vendors participate.

With the success of the event this year, Sack hopes to make it an annual occasion.

“We’re hearing very positive feedback,” she said. “We haven’t had anything in Battleford like this in quite some time, so it is nice to have.”

angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow