BIENFAIT, ESTEVAN, OXBOW, ARCOLA, CARNDUFF, REDVERS, MAINPRIZE, STOUGHTON, OUNGRE, WHITE BEAR — There will be no shortage of events to choose from in southeast Saskatchewan when Canada Day arrives on July 1.
The community of Bienfait will have an abundance of activities to mark Canada's 156th birthday. It will start with a pancake breakfast, served by the Southern Plains Co-op, at the Bienfait Memorial Arena at 7 a.m.
One of the annual highlights, the parade, will begin at 10:30 a.m. It will follow the same route as 2022, starting at the Bienfait Weldon School and then working its way down Weldon Road, Railway Avenue and Carbon Avenue before returning to the school.
Activities will happen throughout the afternoon, with Bingo at the Bienfait branch of the Royal Canadian Legion, a dunk tank, birthday cake, a house-decorating contest, the annual softball game pitting the firefighters versus the farmers, and a mini-firefighters rodeo.
A cabaret will be held at the Bienfait rink at 6 p.m. to support the Bienfait Fire Department. Music will be provided by DJ Ruck and Roll.
The annual fireworks display will begin at dusk.
The Estevan Kinsmen and Kinette Clubs will host their annual Canada Day festivities starting at 11 a.m. at the Kin Hillside Playpark. The event will feature swimming, activities, a petting zoo, hot dogs, cotton candy, popcorn, birthday cake and all-Canadian music by Victory Music.
The Town of Oxbow has two days of activities planned. June 30 will be multiculturalism day at Bow Valley Park, with food vendors and trucks starting at 6 p.m. Carnival games and a bouncy castle begin at 6:30 p.m., and fireworks will occur at dusk. Spectators are encouraged to tune into 106.9 FM for choreographed music.
Activities on Canada Day will include a pancake breakfast at 8 a.m. at the Oxbow legion, and a parade at 10:30 a.m. starting at the Memorial Hall.
Most of Oxbow's July 1 activities will also be at Bow Valley Park. Starting at 11:30 a.m. will be bouncy castles, face painting, a petting zoo, carnival games, a dunk tank and a fire truck display. Yoga will happen at 1 p.m. Kayaking and canoeing will occur on the Souris River at 1 p.m. courtesy of the Adventure Club. The Ralph Allen Museum will be open at 1 p.m.
The Red Dragon Kemp Karate group will have a demonstration by the gazebo.
Music will begin at 4:30 p.m. on the stage, courtesy of Erin Brown and Kathy Kyle, Mari and Todd Greenwood, and C. Hill and the Gang. Several food vendors will be on site and there will be a beer garden.
As for other communities in the area, the Town of Arcola will serve cupcakes and ice cream cones at 8 p.m. at Ed Hanna Park, and fireworks will follow.
In Carnduff, there will be an antique tractor pull at the fairgrounds, with the weigh-in starting at 10 a.m., a kids' pull at 1 p.m. and the adult pulls starting at 2:30 p.m. Seven different weight classes will be offered.
The community of Redvers will have a Knights of Columbus pancake breakfast at 8 a.m., a firefighters' rodeo at the rink at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., a parade in the town at 1 p.m., swimming at the Redvers pool at 1 p.m., a bouncy castle for kids at the log cabin at 2 p.m., a children's craft at 3 p.m., a slow-pitch tournament and concession throughout the day, and fireworks at dusk.
In Stoughton, a barbecue will be held by the town's Lions Club at Taylor Park from 4:30-6:30 p.m. There will be live music as well. At dusk, the fireworks will begin at the Stoughton rodeo grounds.
Mainprize Regional Park has a full slate of activities. On July 1, the Midale Plus One Club will host a farmers' market in Pederson Place at 10 a.m., with multiple vendors selling items. A cart parade and a boat parade will happen at 2 p.m.
Fun will be had on the beach for kids starting at 10 a.m. A variety of activities and games will be there for the whole family. The Estevan Bible Camp will have its climbing wall at noon, and a sand castle competition and bouncy castles will be at 3 p.m. A hot dog roast on the beach will begin at 4 p.m.
A cabaret in Pederson Place will run from 7 p.m.-1 a.m., with music by the Lone Rambler followed by DJ Randy Bakaluk.
Fireworks will begin at dusk.
A free pancake breakfast will be served in Pederson Place at 8 a.m. on July 2.
The Oungre Memorial Regional Park will have a pancake breakfast at 8 a.m., a show and shine and antique tractor display at 10 a.m., a cornhole tournament at 10:30 a.m., bouncy houses at 10 a.m., a parade at 1:30 p.m., a scavenger hunt and tattoos at 2 p.m., a longest drive competition at 3 p.m., a taco-in-a-bag supper and dessert at 7 p.m., a best-decorated campsite contest, and fireworks slated for 10 p.m.
A country gospel jamboree will start at 2 p.m. and feature the Daae Family and an evening cabaret at 8 p.m. will have music by Kelly Gill.
Regular rates and hours for the park's amenities will be offered.
The White Bear Lake Resort will celebrate Canada Day. There will be a four-on-four youth beach volleyball tournament at noon. A barbecue will be served at 2 p.m. A three-on-three beach volleyball tournament will begin with registration at 2 p.m. and games at 4 p.m.
Woodlawn Regional Park will have a campsite-decorating contest and bicycle and golf cart parades. The parade will start at 2 p.m. for the Souris River site and at 3 p.m. for the Boundary Dam portion of the park.Those in the Souris River campground parade will meet at the chapel grassy area at 1:45 p.m. The participants in the Boundary Dam parade are to meet at 2:45 p.m.
Woodlawn Regional Park Authority members will lead the parade through the parks and judge the best-decorated sites. Prizes will be awarded.
