Skull caps, bandanas, and leathers were plentiful over the weekend with people flocking to Carlyle on Friday, June 20, and Saturday, June 21, for the 13th annual Boogie Fest.
The rumbling of bikes could be felt and heard well before their arrival.
Friday saw the pool board host their usual ticket blitz. Hosted in the parking lot of Home Hardware, they were joined in the parking lot by Moose Mountain Mud and Equal Transport who held a BBQ of elk burgers which went over well.
Though the lunch was free there was a donation box set out for people interested in supporting the Crescent Point Leisure Complex.
That evening saw numerous activities for youth held at the Lions Park pavilion. Here Cornerstone Family and Youth barbecued hotdogs and hamburgers for families as they celebrated Boogie Fest at the CFY Carnival.
Youth enjoyed bouncy castles, numerous carnival games, face painting, and more as they won prizes for their efforts. Also, joining CFY was a balloon artist and mascots from Co-op, Moose Mountain Provincial Park, and A&W which had many kids excited to meet them.
Saturday then began early in the morning as volunteers from Crescent Point cooked up a fine pancake breakfast.
This was then followed by annual poker derby. Starting in Carlyle 87 riders registered, while they picked up a few more on the trail leading to over 90 riders enjoying the southeast on a leisurely ride through Alida, Maryfield, and around by Kenosee.
Riders agreed that it was a great day to be out with the sun shining and very little wind until later in the afternoon meant it was nice to get on the highway and cruise.
Though a few riders got caught after lunchtime around Kenosee in a bit of rain, those participating in the poker derby.
Upon returning from the ride the Knights of Columbus had on supper, which drew many to the Lions pavilion as the riders ate then prepared for the bike games.
Many gathered around as participants took part in a variety of events. This included a slow race where the last one across the finish line without putting a leg down was the winner. This was followed by a barrel race in which only one crossed with the barrel.
Partners were then picked up to finish the games with riders then being careful to drive in a straight line. The final games included placing golf balls on pylons, sending a ball through a pipe and catching it out the other side, as well as pinning clothes pins to a line, which saw Dale Gudmundson and his daughter Jordan achieve a first for the games in pinning all five clothes pins to the line.
Games concluded with the water balloon toss, where a driver took their partner through an apparatus with a bar overhead wrapped in barbed wire. Thus, if the balloon wasn't thrown just right it would leave riders and their passengers wet as the water balloons broke.
People remained around the Lions pavilion with Product of Canada beginning to play at 9 p.m., shortly after the games concluded.
While here people could entertain themselves with a mechanical bull and enjoy each others company late into the night. More excitement came with fireworks sponsored by the town, which were said to be some of the best you'll see in southeast Saskatchewan and many agreed it was a great show.
Then, at midnight, it was the draw everyone had been waiting for. The 2014 Harley Davidson Fat Boy was raffled off and the winner of the beautifully crafted bike was Billy Wilson.
Boogie Fest continues to grow and draw from the community with first time attendees coming out for the festivities and explaining they look forward to participating again next year.
Though some came from the local area, others attended from further including Estevan.
It was another successful weekend for the pool board. The organizers were pleased with the turnout and are excited for the future with the continued support of the community and local businesses.
Though the funds raised during Boogie Fest are still being tallied and there are expenses in need of being paid it is estimated that Boogie Fest successfully brought in approximately $7,000, though the board is currently unsure of the exact number.
The pool's next projects include replacing the slide into the pool. The current slide doesn't work properly and people have to splash water on it to avoid sticking. Having already looked into costs, a new slide starts at $30,000 and may be the next big purchase according to the pool board.
