OUTLOOK - It's fast become an event that's not to be missed in the riverside community.
Hundreds of people came out in Outlook to take in three days worth of events, entertainment, activities, and a whole lot of food as part of the 3rd annual Prairie Festival, which was enjoyed over May 24, 25, & 26 on the grounds of the Outlook & District Heritage Museum.
Of course, the often-unpredictable springtime weather decided to play its part here and there over the course of three days, but for the most part, it didn't stop anyone from enjoying themselves.
On Friday, Wiseton-based musical duo the McConnells kicked things off and got the entertainment rolling on the outdoor stage beside the Bounty Theatre, with both the stage and the theatre sharing venue duties for performances over the weekend. That was the case when students from LCBI High School, under the lead of choir director Graham Codling, performed a number of songs in front of a growing audience.
Back on the outdoor stage, another sizable audience that seemed to grow by the minute gave a raucous applause to the hypnotic dancing on display by the Ivan Flett Memorial Dancers, a First Nations trio comprised of three siblings from Winnipeg whose passion for dance have carried them to some impressive heights, including performing on TV for the competition show 'Canada's Got Talent'. Michael, Jacob, and Cieanna perform traditional dances of the Red River Jig, but also mix in some modern dance moves to further captivate their viewers.
Formally known as the Slick and Lil J Show, it was in 2012 when they lost one of their biggest fans as their grandfather Ivan Flett passed away. Renaming the group, the trio honours their grandfather with every dance that they carry out onstage.
Back inside the Theatre, closing out the first day of the festival were the Tycke Brothers, who performed a medley of both rock and country tunes for patrons enjoying the evening dance.
Saturday brought a heavy lineup of entertainment, including a second performance from the Ivan Flett Memorial Dancers before a heritage demonstration beside the museum showed spectators how the immensely popular Doukhobor bread could be crafted and baked in an outdoor oven. For those looking to see what local people were selling, a vendor trade show offered visitors a chance to take home some entrepreneurial wares and products, while those looking to play some games could take in a game or two of Bingo that was played in the Bounty Theatre for prizes.
For the youth of the community, a Kids Zone entertained the youngsters on the lawn in front of the museum, as a number of games and activities kept them busy, and the day's events even included an appearance from some costumed characters such as Iron Man, Spiderman, Snow White, Wonder Woman, and even the Genie from 'Aladdin'. Further games included during the weekend included a dunk tank on Sunday, where people could try their hand at soaking people such as town CAO Kevin Trew and Councillor Kyle McLeod, and a Jaws of Life demonstration by local firefighters. If you needed to get some frustration out of your system, the Outlook-Rudy Fireflies had you covered, as for $10 you could have five minutes alone with a hammer and a junker car on-site in order to enjoy some 'smash therapy'.
Meanwhile, back on the stage, a number of local singers and performers got ready to take part in 'Outlook's Got Talent', which saw a lineup of the Outlook School of Dance, singing trio Living Water, vocalist Syhra Ellis, vocalist Marcia Rilling, and violinist Oscar Leblanc take to the stage and show the audience what they could do. The winning performer would be determined by votes from the audience, with spectators visiting a tent beside the stage and buying votes for a quarter a piece. When all was said and done, the winning contestant was Marcia Rilling, who took home $500 after some impressive singing that struck a chord with the audience.
Musical duo Ashley and Dylan Borody took to the stage on Saturday evening, adding to the wide-ranging musical offerings of the weekend event. They were followed by comedian Kelly Taylor, who had spectators laughing hard at their assorted tables with his takes on raising kids, living in Saskatchewan, and injuries suffered in some, well, sensitive places for men.
Closing out the musical offerings for the weekend were the River Bottom Boys, comprised of Martin Rude, Rick Myrol, Chris Akre and Curtis Akre, who performed a fan favorite outdoor rock show under a very noticeable sunset to the northwest. But just because the sun disappeared, obviously that didn't mean the show was over, as the music could be heard throughout town for hours.
Held during the final weekend of each May, the Prairie Festival event has quickly become something of an unofficial kickoff to the summer season that arrives in June. The 2024 edition offered quite a menu for attendees, and for those who didn't make it, the odds are fairly good that they may end up kicking themselves based on the likely rave reviews heard from family, friends and the public.
