聽 聽 聽 聽 聽Record numbers of participants, amazing weather, stellar musical line ups and attendees聽 traveling from as far as Alberta, Ontario and even from Germany :聽 The Carlyle Dickens Village festival #17 was a great weekend celebrating the volunteer spirit which makes Rural Saskatchewan such a great place to live.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭hat was the best parade ever!鈥� commented one festival goer, referring to the 31 lighted floats each night.聽聽 As the parade goers traipsed back into the Memorial Hall, scrambling to get into the line-up for Filipino food, while Dale MacArthur started his set. Another person commented,聽聽 鈥淎nd the music in here 鈥� it鈥檚 just amazing. Who is THIS guy?鈥� The incredulity in her tone was strong as she took in the performance just beginning.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淒ale MacArthur grew up at White Bear, but now lives and works in Regina.鈥� I said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e lucky he was willing to travel home for this show.鈥� Dale Mac brings a special kind of storytelling to the stage, telling tales of growing up at White Bear, and about his parents (Hazel and Donald MacArthur).
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淣o kidding. I鈥檓 just amazed at the talent in this area.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 I nodded.聽 It鈥檚 true.聽 The 麻豆视频 East corner is rife with talent. So much so that when booking local entertainers, we had to rotate some favourites who have been playing for many years in favour of placing others on the main stage. It鈥檚 a great problem to have. We featured everything from traditional country, old time dance tunes, modern pop, modern country, Country Gospel,聽 modern folk, jazz and a great roots and blues set.
It was also聽 a great problem to have that there were so many vendors registering for the Victorian market that we opened a second venue at the Happy Gang. Or that the United Church High tea was crowded (they served more than 370 people), as they valiantly聽 served all the folks who attended.聽 Or that it was impossible to get a ticket for the Cornerstone production of Arr Humbug. In fact,the theatre troupe open3ed up the dress rehearsal to the public, to make it possible for local supporters to come and see the production.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The bus tours were welcomed by Ken King and Michael Ellis. In full Victoria regalia, they put a lovely face onto the Town of Carlyle for these visitors, and it was fun to watch these folk as they took in the various aspects of the festival.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 And so many supporters locally: from those volunteering on the committee, those welcoming people to town at the hospitality desk, the local museum providing lunches, to those who came out to help decorate, to the community groups offering street food and everyone who dressed in costumes.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The Carlyle Dickens Village festival celebrates that special volunteer spirit which is alive and well in rural Saskatchewan, and we know we鈥檙e lucky to live in an area filled with people who understand how to be great neighbours.聽
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 And we鈥檙e already planning for next year, with more great ideas . But for now, Happy Christmas everyone! Thanks for coming out and making the festival such a lovely success.
