CARLYLE - There are just a few days left until Carlyle turns into a massive tourist attraction.
The fifth annual Carlyle Fun Dayz is to take place on Aug. 21, with Prairie Revolt, Big Bad Storm, Tanya Ryan, Micah Walbaum and Alex Runions to entertain thousands of guests coming to the community.
Also planned for the day are tonnes of fun and excitement, all of which will be free of charge.
Carlyle Mayor Jenn Sedor said that things are coming along well for the big event, which is strategically important for the community.
"We're at the corner, we call ourselves the cornerstone. We have the corner of two highways, we're a transportation route, we have the provincial park. I think it's really important that we're not forgotten along the route," Sedor said.
"So it's very important for us to host an event where we have people drawn into our town instead of just visiting our highway shops or heading in from the lake and missing us altogether. There're lots of reasons to come down and see what we're about."
Carlyle has really upped their entertainment game this year, and they hope guests will really enjoy the results.
"We've hired a very professional crew from Nite Staging (and Sound) in Regina to do a really big show," said Sedor.
"We've got a little bit of something for everyone, from folk to country to rock to pop. So I think everyone's going to have a great time listening to the music this year. And it's going to go right from noon till midnight."
The younger guests will also have plenty of entertainment options to choose from. Bouncers and bumper cars, a balloon artist, games and a petting zoo all will be free for everyone.
"There's no cost to attend the fair. There's no cost to ride the rides and jump on the bouncers. So it's affordable fun for everyone," Sedor pointed out.
No tickets are required for the music portion of the event, so people can just come have a great day out and enjoy the amenities Carlyle has to offer.
"We really want everyone to come out, buy some food from our local restaurants. We've got six food vendors coming for the day. We want everyone to take in some shopping. We have a wonderful trade show that's in the hall. It's really going to be a lot of fun on Main Street," Sedor said.
The north half of Main Street will be closed for the event, but there will be parking available around the area.
The day will kick off with a Lions pancake breakfast starting at 8 a.m. in front of Memorial Hall. The parade will take off at 11 a.m. Everyone willing to participate should line up from 9:30-10:30 a.m. at the town public works building on Seventh Street West.
The family fun zone will open at noon, the same time as the entertainment program and beer gardens. A firefighter’s rodeo is to start at 7 a.m. and then at 1 p.m. at the Carlyle Sports Arena.
"Just come enjoy our town. If you want to take a dip in the pool, we've got the splash park as well. We want everyone to come down, visit Carlyle for the day, have a good time on us," Sedor said.
The main difference this year will be in the stage. The town has gone from performances on a flat deck trailer several years ago to a real stage right in the centre of Main Street. And there will be a whole block-long street dance.
"The main thing that changed is we've really gone from a block party to a community festival. Everything is that much bigger. We've had that much more experience running it. So it's going to be lots of businesses participating, lots of sales, lots of sidewalk sales. It's just a great moment for everyone to benefit from having a lot of people in town," Sedor said.
In 2019, the town saw about 2,000 people enjoying Carlyle Fun Dayz. This year, with people eager to get out and do things, Sedor said they hope for a really good turnout as well, as they have a lot to offer.
"It's just a really good feel on Main Street," Sedor said.
