The week-long Winter Lights Festival From November 29 to December 6 in Canora was accompanied by some warmer weather, activities were well attended, and it just seemed that everyone was smiling and filled with the season鈥檚 joy, said Brandi Zavislak, Canora鈥檚 Community Development officer.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 As the name suggests, Canora residents do enjoy decorating their homes with Christmas lights and the tradition has expanded into large illuminated and inflatable yard decorations, she said. There are still a number of nativity scenes to be seen around town, but it is the lights that continue to shine even brighter each Christmas holiday season.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Taking everything into consideration, the festival was an amazing success, and it is true that each festival builds on the strengths of the previous year鈥檚 festival, she said. A few events were added or changed around 鈥� always working towards making the family-orientated festival better each year.
Carol Festival
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The festival was kicked off with the Canora Hospital Auxiliary鈥檚 59th annual Carol Festival at the Canora Composite School auditorium. Organizers reported that the crowd was a little bigger this year and a few new entertainers earned the praise of the crowd, Zavislak said.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Among the new performers was the Canora Little Band, sometimes called Brooke & Friends or an off-shoot of the local band Seven Levels. The Rewakowsky brothers,
Jacob and Nicholas, were joined by their mother, Katherine, and Floreen Haskewich to win the audience鈥檚 applause.
All the entertainers have to compete with the Nursery School Choir which always draws parents and their cameras to the front. The children always receive loud rounds of applause.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Among the many long-time performers was Effie Pretchuk, who at 92 years of age, continues to represent the Seventh Day Adventist Church.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 St. Joseph鈥檚 Roman Catholic Church choir put on a final act to remember. With all members dressed in nun鈥檚 outfits, their performance was called 鈥淭he Sister Act Version.鈥�
Sleigh rides
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The big event on November 30 was the old-fashioned horse-drawn sleigh rides starting at the Canora CN Station House Museum and Visitor Centre.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 More than 100 people came out for the event, said Zavislak. While everybody didn鈥檛 go for a ride, many came to just see the horses and experience warm nostalgic memories of the fun people used to have on hayrides during the holiday season.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 While the event was billed as 鈥渟leigh rides,鈥� it was actually wagon rides that were offered by Lloyd Smith of Pelly. The wagon was specially designed for comfort and safety of small groups.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The wagon was pulled by a pair of black Percherons named Tom and Jigs. The pair just returned from Agribition in Regina where they once again won some ribbons for Smith in the team horse events.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Many horse enthusiasts from the area may recognize Smith and his Percherons from when he participates in the Rama old-time farming demonstrations each spring for seeding and each August for the harvest.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The sight of the horse-drawn wagon against the brightly lit Christmas decorations along Main Street was wonderful to behold, said Zavislak. Discussions afterwards included the possibility of having the businesses open along Main Street providing more light for the visual experience and to offered extended shopping hours.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Before and after the wagon rides, the patrons were urged to step into the Visitor Centre where hot apple cider and hot chocolate were served. The event was sponsored by the town and the Canora Tourism committee.
Skate with Santa
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 On December 1, the annual Skate with Santa event at the Civic Centre was again a big hit. There were about 75 children who put on their skates, along with a number of parents.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 For the latter half of the three-hour event, Santa Claus joined the skaters on the ice.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淪anta did such a great job,鈥� said Zavislak. 鈥淗e took time to visit with the youngsters on the ice and had fun skating with them.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Sponsored by Canora Leisure Services, the skating was free and there was hot chocolate for everybody, she said.
Nursery School
bake sale
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 On the afternoon of December 2, there was no school for the Nursery School students but the parents delivered trays of baking for the bake sale at the school (north side of town office building).
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Many came to fill some of their baking needs for the Christmas season while supporting the Nursery School, said Zavislak.
Youth event
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Youngsters aged from 13 to 18 were invited to the youth event which was a Christmas Present Bingo at the Activity Centre the evening of December 2. On behalf of Leisure Services, Crystal Reine organized the event. She was assisted by James Trofimenkof, Syl Hrynkiw and Arlette Bogucky.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 About 20 youngsters participated with many prizes won. The top prizes, which were provided by Leisure Services, was a tablet, ear buds, portable speakers and $15 iTune cards. Leisure Services also provided a pizza lunch.
Big event
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The much anticipated event of the festival was the evening parade on December 3, said Zavislak. However, the first event of the day was the Christmas Tea at the Keen Age Centre during the afternoon, which was attended by 77 guests.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 As the advertising said, 鈥渢he evening parade decorates Canora from the Gateway Lodge to Main Street, finishing at the Agricultural Grounds.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Cst. Taunya Kondratoff was the parade marshall.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Led by the RCMP and numerous emergency vehicles utilizing their lights and sirens, there were more than 20 floats in the parade, said Zavislak. A diverse cross section of the community was represented, from various businesses to a number of organizations such as Extravadance and the Canora Wheat Lioness Club. One of the final floats was provided by Linda Banga with a pair of Clydesdales pulling a wagon filled with children. Santa Claus was a guest on the Lioness club鈥檚 float.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 At the Agricultural Grounds, the crowds were greeted by a raging bonfire but the warmer temperatures allowed the crowd to gather at various areas around the grounds. Once again, the town council members and a few volunteers were serving hotdogs and hot chocolate. More than 500 hotdogs were handed out, but the crowd was much larger. Many people chose to wait in their vehicles for the fireworks show. Numerous parents watched over the children which were having a blast sliding down the snowhill created by the town鈥檚 public works crew. Members of the fire department were on hand to monitor the play areas.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 At 7 p.m. a loud crack sounded the beginning of a $4,000 fireworks display. Borden Kishalowich of Esterhazy was in charge of the fireworks and in a little more than 15 minutes, the fireworks show concluded. Many children returned to the snowhill and there was plenty of time to socialize.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 While the parade and fireworks are considered by many to be the main events of the week, there were still three days of events before the festival concluded.
Cookie Walk
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The Cookie Walk and Frozen Perogy sale began at 11 a.m. on December 4 at the United Church. The main attraction was the Cookie Walk for which customers bought an empty bag and were allowed to fill them with a selection of cookies. It was not a complete sellout but organizers said the choice selection was greatly reduced by 1:30 p.m.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Bags of frozen perogies quickly found new homes.
Storytime with Mrs. Claus
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 At the Parkland Regional Library, Mrs. Claus sat in a comfortable chair beneath a Christmas tree created from more than 600 books, and she read stories to the children gathered around her.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The event was aptly called Storytime with Mrs. Claus. Her costume was made by Claudette Hanson from fabric that was donated by Fabric Land of Yorkton.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 A chili lunch was sold and served from the Student Centre with all proceeds going to the library.
Children鈥檚 Carnival
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Sponsored by the Child Action Plan/Crossroads Project Reconnect (CAP/CPR), the Children鈥檚 Carnival during the afternoon of December 6 was free of charge and more than 150 children of all ages participated. There was face painting, balloon animals, ornament making, decorating sugar cookies, snow shoeing and tobogganing.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Sara Kozmanuik, the CAP/CPR youth liaison worker, organized the event and it was an unprecedented success, said Zavislak.
Breakfast with Santa
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The final event of the festival was the Canora Wheatland Lioness Club鈥檚 annual Breakfast with Santa at the Activity Centre
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 While the Lioness Club members served a pancake breakfast, most of the attention was at the front of the room where Santa Claus, assisted by his wife, had a line of children ready to sit on his knee and explain their Christmas wishes.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 About 60 children had a private audience with the Jolly Elf from the North Pole.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 During the course of the event, the Lioness Club members took a few minutes to introduce another special guest, Ross Fisher of Yorkton, the executive director of the Health Foundation. The Lionesses made a $2,500 cheque presentation that was earmarked for the fundraising effort for a new CT scanner for the Yorkton Regional Hospital.
