Artists were once again on full display in a back alley in Melfort on July 16 as the annual Back Alley Tour returned to celebrate its 10th Anniversary.
The event took place in the alley behind Northern Lights Gallery, and the 2026 version was the best ever according to organizers.
Event organizer and Northern Lights Gallery owner Sandra Dancey said the goal is to get like-minded artists together to show off their work, and with artists from Prince Albert, Nipawin, Tisdale and Melfort and beyond in attendance.
“It went really well, this is probably the best year ever,” Dancey said. “The weather was nice.
It wasn’t quite as warm as last year. It was still warm, but not too hot, and a nice breeze, no crazy wind, no big dump of rain.”
Dancey said they had at least as many artists turn out for the 2026 event as the previous year. She estimated there were around 60 in attendance, not including musicians and food truck vendors.
Dancey said they haven’t quite reached over-capacity. She said Royal LePage Hodgins Realty has been generous with their alley and it has become part of the tour, though not in an official capacity.
“Last year there were still a few people parked there, but this year we had the full lot, which is nice because we had food truck in there,” Dancey said.
More than 60 artists were on display as the Back Alley Tour returned to Melfort on July 16.
Dancey attributes the success of the event to it always being on Thursday before Fair Weekend in Melfort and the fun that people have.
“Lots of people are on vacation or are back visiting from wherever they have moved to,” she explained. “Beyond that, it’s just really good people involved. I have an awesome group of volunteers who help with this, and the artists really enjoy it, so it makes for a fun time for everybody.”
In the past Prairie North Co-Op sponsored the $500 Back Alley Tour Scholarship to a student from MUCC. This year they have changed the prize to a mural for an artist in Melfort.
“The way it worked is artists could apply for this $500 gift, and they will choose a winner,” she said. “They didn’t get a chance (this week). It was kind of crazy so they’re going to announce the winner next week.”
Artists who wanted to could submit a sketch of what they had in mind, Dancey explained. Then they would have to find a business willing to let them put a mural on their wall.
“(It could be) a permanent thing or on a separate sheet that is then mounted on the outside wall of a business,” Dancey said.
Dancey added that the mural concept supports the Back Alley Tour’s mission of creating public art in Melfort and area.
There is always entertainment and this year there was the entertainment stage. Dancey said they had live music all afternoon and into the evening, which is also really popular.
Gabi Rayne was the featured performer and Dancey said she helped them promote the day.
“She’s kind of on the way up and she was on the radio Thursday morning with us and she’s getting her name out there,” Dancey said. “She has a new song released.”
Ashley St. Denis was another entertainer highlighted by Dancey.
“He had a couple health issues and he wasn’t playing for the longest time, so this was the first time he was back out there playing in public and it was really nice,” Dancey said.
Other entertainers included the Lenvale Elevators and others.
Dancey thanked the sponsors and more than a dozen volunteers for making the event such as success.
“(To) all the volunteers, thank you. We have awesome volunteers. They work well together,” she said.
The project originally began as part of Main Street Melfort as a revitalization project. The Main Street Melfort program was suspended in 2017 and Main Street Melfort folded as a downtown revitalization organization.
