Lots of new attractions at Summer Oldstice

The fifth Summer Oldstice Street Festival and Market takes place this Saturday, June 18 in Uptowne Olds.

This year it's bigger and better, with several new attractions, according to Uptowne Olds coordinator Deborah Ohlhausen.

The plan this year is to enable visitors to explore the entire Uptowne Olds district. They can get on the Olds Regional Exhibition Society “people mover” if they wish.

Vendors, entertainers and food services will be grouped in various places and green spaces throughout Uptowne.

“This year, the Summer Oldstice is going to be held basically all over in Uptowne Olds. We've got vendors scattered everywhere,” Ohlhausen says. “We've got entertainment in every different area; around every corner.”

Attractions will kick off with a pancake breakfast at the northeast corner of 50th Street and 50th Avenue from 8 to 10 a.m. Alvin Moore and Simon Larouche will provide entertainment.

This year, street-side entertainment format will be provided throughout Uptowne. Performers will roam the streets and entertain at vendor locations.

“We've got almost 60 businesses having sidewalk sales this year,” Ohlhausen says.

Performers include: hula hooper Ami Taylor of Circlelust; magician Pablo Becker; musicians Hannah Jade, We're Still Working On It, Alvin Moore and Simon Larouche, Dan Larouche, and Michael Smith.

“Feel free to reward your favourite performers with applause and gratuity,” a Summer Oldstice news release says.

Eventually those performers will make their way to Olds Liquor & Beer where they'll take turns performing on stage.

“So there'll be live entertainment starting sharp at 10,” Ohlhausen says.

There'll be lots of activity in Centennial Park.

For example, at noon, the Wellspring Visual Art Network Association will launch its ArtWalk.

“Our town crier is going to be there and he's going to lead people on an actual art walk and there's going to be other artists in the park painting and work for sale,” Ohlhausen says.

“The Wellspring Visual Art Network Association is having people make and take a piece of art and any proceeds from that will go towards Fort McMurray,” she adds.

That's not all.

Centennial Park will also be home to Pets in the Park, sponsored by All Your Pets.

“A lot of people we hope will bring their pets into the park and have a little bit of a parade and which animals can do the best trick and things like that,” Ohlhausen says.

At the Mountain View Museum, visitors can participate in face painting, a chalk walk drawing contest, check out a hands-on display, and sip iced tea or lemonade in their courtyard.

Ohlhausen says Padnoma Junction will be hosting several attractions and offering free coffee.

“It's basically a family affair with children's games, raffles and prizes from the Calgary Stampede, free kids' games and a summer fair tombola,” she says.

According to Ohlhausen, a tombola is a variation on a raffle which is very popular in the United Kingdom.

Up the street, there will be activities at the Boys and Girls Club location. Just a little further east, visitors will get to see how the newspaper is put together.

Across the tracks, the Olds Grizzlys Junior A hockey team is sponsoring a free hockey game – the Olds Grizzlys Community Road Hockey Party – on 49th Avenue beside Trax Pub.

Starting at noon, all ages are welcome to participate in a drop-in road hockey game. Local hockey celebrities are expected to be on hand for it.

At the Elks Hall, nine-time world champion baton twirler Jenna Jemieff will provide baton twirling and dance demonstrations.

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