WAKAW — “Walk-aw” Days are back for 2024. Saturday, June 1 will be the first of the summer, with another being held on July 13, and the final day landing on Aug. 10.
None of the scheduled days falls on long weekends but do co-ordinate with days the Wheatland Express Excursion Train has tours scheduled. The June 1 and July 13 dates coincide with their train heist excursions and start with a visit to Wheatland Express Little Big Town before boarding the train for a trip down the tracks. On Aug. 10 the excursion will feature Adeline’s Wedding and, as with the Train Heist excursions, it begins at Little Big Town providing ample opportunity for Wheatland Express clients to spend time visiting the businesses along the walk of 1st Street.
Last year when the first “Walk-aw” Days were held, the purpose of the days was to promote economic activity and bring not only tourists, but local shoppers as well, into town to take in the Farmers Market which opens its doors at 10 am every Saturday throughout the summer, and engage with the neighbours who operate businesses along 1st Street South.
Dwane Burke, Wakaw’s Recreation & Community Development Manager, says the days are intended for all businesses who choose to be involved in one capacity or another, to receive the benefits of added attention through self-created promotions and extra foot traffic. Coordinating with the schedule of the Excursion Train ensures there will be ‘extra’ people in town, and those people can be encouraged to gravitate towards the local businesses and discover what Wakaw has to offer.
Last year was a learning year that provided invaluable insight in determining how to best utilize “Walk-aw” Days to support and promote local business. Having extra activities like the Show n’ Shine and the dunk tank proved popular and these types of “hook” events are very useful in drawing people out whether it is just to appreciate the aptitude of those who restore and preserve automobiles or to see how many times local businesspeople and public personalities can be dropped into a tank full of water. The popularity of events such as these ensures they will be featured in plans for the day.
