CANORA - If the streets and sidewalks of Canora seemed unusually bare from about 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. on May 5, it’s probably because almost everyone went to Cinco de Mayo at the Sylvia Fedoruk Centre for beer gardens, Mexican food and drinks, and the market.
Organizers estimate that a minimum of 1,500 people from Canora and many surrounding communities were in attendance at some point, and according to Brandi Zavislak, community development officer and member of the Canora Tourism Fundraising Committee that organized the event, “I’ve never seen that many people in the curling rink.”
Zavislak said the idea for the event came from the committee’s ongoing goal to host a variety of events for Canora and area residents to enjoy.
“It was an absolute outstanding success. We have thought about it for a while, we want to do different exciting things in our market,” she said. “We have discovered that Fridays are very good for fundraising. The work week is over and everyone appreciates the chance to go out and enjoy themselves. We believe that the recipe for a successful event is to ‘think outside the box,’ make it a unique experience and create a fun atmosphere. We came up with our own unique way of lighting, which added to the fun atmosphere.”
The event had over 50 vendors, and didn’t have room for any more.
“We had four food vendors and they all ran out of food,” reported Zavislak.
She said her past experience as owner of the Canora Flower Shop helped with creating the colourful and eye-catching decorations for Cinco de Mayo.
Zavislak said this type of an event was a first for many visitors and they all seemed to enjoy themselves.
“People were amazed at how well organized it was.”
In addition to the Canora Tourism Fundraising Committee, Megan Scherban and members of Town Public Works were also involved in organizing and getting set up.
During the seven-hour event, over $8,100 was raised, which will go to making more local improvements in Canora.
“We are always looking for ways to promote local businesses and community groups,” said Zavislak. “We work hard to promote and make the events unique, and we’ve been getting huge turnouts from not only Canora but also many surrounding communities.”
The lineup of Canora events will continue for the next several months, starting with Full Moon Friday coming up on June 2. It is being promoted as a family-friendly event, featuring magician Magic Ben and hypnotist Corrie J.
Tickets are available and for more information, contact Brandi Zavislak.
