Rain fails to dampen Festival Days celebration

By Shelley Winger
Town of Morinville photo

Rain failed to dampen community spirit as hundreds of residents and visitors took part in
Festival Days on June 19 and 20, with organizers adapting to wet weather to ensure the
annual celebration continued as planned.
The weekend began Friday evening with the Festival Days Kick-Off Dance Party, which
welcomed about 170 people for an evening of music, dancing, photo opportunities with
Hunter the mascot and a new retro arcade experience.
Saturday’s festivities continued despite the weather, with large crowds attending the
Mayor and Council Pancake Breakfast for a free meal and live entertainment before
heading to events across the community.
One of the newest additions to this year’s festival was the inaugural Pedestrian Parade.
Nine registered groups, representing approximately 180 participants, took part in the
event, with about 40 people walking the parade route. Organizers said participants
embraced the rainy conditions, helping make the new parade a memorable addition to
Festival Days.
Rain forced the Festival Fun Zone, presented by Team Moore – Century 21 Masters,
indoors to the Morinville Community Cultural Centre, where it remained a popular
attraction throughout the day. An estimated 900 to 1,100 people attended, enjoying 29
activities and attractions, including a retro arcade, Indigenous Game Making Experience,
live entertainment, local musicians, the Morinville Farmers’ Market and a variety of
interactive activities. Although the train and inflatables were unable to operate because of
the weather, the indoor venue remained busy throughout the day.
The NAPA Morinville Show N’ Shine featured 48 vehicle entries before wrapping up
early at 12:30 p.m. due to the rain.
Another Festival Days highlight was the Morinville Fire Fighter Combat Challenge,
which welcomed more than 30 competitors from across the region and drew enthusiastic
spectators throughout the day.
Festival-goers also made good use of the free Community Bus, which provided
transportation between Festival Days venues throughout the weekend.
Despite the rainy conditions, Festival Days once again brought the community together,
offering entertainment, activities and opportunities for residents and visitors of all ages to
celebrate one of Morinville’s signature summer events.