What an incredible weekend in our city, a weekend which exemplifies how our community is growing, and in the process adding more and more recreational options.
It was not so many years ago there was a feeling that if you wanted a fun-filled weekend you climbed in the car and headed to a larger city. That is no longer the case.
It started Friday night as an historic first happened at Century Field.
The Yorkton Regional Raiders arranged to have portable lighting brought to the field allowing for the first football game under the lights in city history.
While there were a few chinks in the program - the field announcer could rarely be heard on the bleacher side of the field as an example - it was still an amazing night.
Aided by a perfect fall evening that meant short-sleeve comfort throughout the game, and a Raider win, lopsided as it was 41-0 over the Martin Monarchs from Regina, it was a night to remember, and a good crowd was on hand to be part of the event.
A tip of the hat to the Raider football program for holding such a game. There is definitely a different 'feel' to a football game under the lights.
Recognizing that many evenings would not be as pleasant as Friday, and the prohibitive cost of permanent lights for relatively little usage, such games are not going to be a regular event, but hopefully it will at least be an annual affair.
Then there was Saturday, the sort of day where one could have been on the go all day, and well into the night.
The Sunflower Arts & Craft Show was on this weekend, and as one of Saskatchewan's best-known shows, it attracted good crowds, some getting a head start on Christmas shopping, while others simply enjoyed looking at the varied crafts.
From Sunflower it was a short walk to Cornerstone Raceway to watch the final day of Standardbred racing for the 2011 season.
The day was perfect for racing with three winners managing subpar two-minute miles.
People could have left their car in the Gallagher Centre parking lot and simply headed to the Agripavilion for Canadian Wrestling Elite action. Professional wrestling might not be everybody's cup of tea, but that a promotion based in Winnipeg has begun doing shows in Yorkton speaks to the city's growth, and demand for more varied entertainment.
The same demand for more options is also likely behind the Tower Theatre offering midnight showings of old classics Saturdays this month. Seeing Ghostbusters back on the big screen was a neat option for night owls looking for something to do.
Then for those into hockey, the Yorkton Terriers and AAA Midget Harvest were both in action at Farrell Agencies Arena this weekend. The Terriers played Sunday afternoon, continuing the options for people.
Add in the nice weather being ideal to hit one of the local golf courses, tennis courts, new disc golf course or a walk around the ecological preserve, and you begin to get a feel for how Yorkton is growing in terms of recreation.
It was a good weekend to just stay in our city and enjoy everything there was to do locally.
