BIENFAIT - The annual Canada Day celebrations in Bienfait remain a popular event.
Activities were held in the town throughout July 1 to mark Canada’s 156th birthday. From the morning pancake breakfast provided by the Southern Plains Co-op, to the parade that rolled throughout the town, to the nighttime fireworks and everything in between, large crowds were on hand for the festivities.
“I thought it turned out really well,” said Bienfait Recreation Board president Ryan Fleck. “There was lots of people who came out and lots of kids enjoyed the activities, and I’m sure the adults did, too.”
Nearly 40 entries were received for the parade. A water main break on Carbon Avenue forced the parade to be rerouted, but Fleck said there weren’t any problems with the adjustments.
Prizes were awarded to the top-three finishers in two categories. In the business division, Reliance Oilfield finished first, followed by Tyros Tree Services in second and GFL in third. As for the non-profit floats, Blue Sky Air was first, the Souris Valley Museum was second and the United Mine Workers of America Local 7606 came in third.
A house-decorating competition was held as well. The home at 201 Carbon Avenue was first, followed by 238 Walsh Street and 436 Young Street.
Once the parade was finished, activities happened throughout the afternoon, including Bingo at the Bienfait branch of the Royal Canadian Legion, a dunk tank, birthday cupcakes, the annual softball game pitting the firefighters versus the farmers, and a mini-firefighters rodeo.
It’s difficult to gage how many people were present, but Fleck believes some of the activities drew 150-300 people. The swimming pool was filled with kids throughout the day, too.
They had a couple of new food trucks out for Canada Day this year, and the birthday cupcakes were supplied by Teremok Bakery, which opened earlier this year. Fleck said the cupcakes proved to be very popular.
The Bienfait Fire Department held a cabaret Saturday night.
The fireworks also proved to be a big hit, as many people converged on Bienfait for the show.
“They were at least 15 minutes long, and what we put in for fireworks, we upped it by $1,000 this year, so that really helped us out in that way,” said Fleck.
