Carol Baldwin
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Wakaw Recorder
Rosthern Harvest Festival started Thursday, Sept. 19 in the evening and wrapped up on Saturday, Sept. 21 with fireworks after a day full of family-friendly activities.
As with preceding Harvest Festivals, Saturday kicked off with a pancake breakfast in the Jubilee Sports Centre Skating Rink Lobby dished up this year by the Valley Vipers from 7 – 9:30 a.m. followed by a parade which started at 10 a.m. at the RJC sports field and wound its way to Sixth Street, continued to First Ave, before turning on Fifth Street and ending at Rosthern Community School.
The event is the result of partnerships between the Town of Rosthern, Rosthern Recreation, and the local Sport, Culture and Recreation groups, service agencies, and businesses including Rosthern Ag Society, Rosthern & District Farmer’s Market, Rosthern Lions, Rosthern & District Chamber of Commerce, Station Arts Centre, Good Neighbours Food Centre, Valley Vipers, Rosthern Museum & Mennonite Interpretive Centre, Rosthern Fire and Rescue, Valley Action Abilities, Rosthern Library, Friesen’s Bigway, Cars & Ice Cream group, Midway Gearheads Car Club, My-T Bobcatting & Concrete and HuntingHamm Excavating, Tina Holmen, and Chris Dennis.
Activities took place at the ball diamonds where a slo-pitch tournament ran throughout the day on Saturday, and in Centennial Park where families with young children found activities with little people in mind. The park is always a favoured destination for young children, and Saturday was extra special as the Lions had the train and the swings operating. Rosthern Recreation set up a bouncy castle and obstacle course, and The Amazing Wayne had “some cool tricks up his sleeve.” At the arena, people could try pickleball or spikeball, meet some of the ambassadors of Living Sky Wildlife Rehabilitation, or enjoy the antics of “Mango: The Super Pug” as she rode a skateboard, drove a car, rode her scooter and more.
Sixth Street from Railway Ave. to Second Ave. was closed to vehicle traffic to accommodate the many activities occurring in the downtown core area including a street market, live music, car show, and dunk tank. The car show included hotrods, classics, vintage, and newer model cars and trucks. Also participating in the show were members of the Saskatchewan Section of the Canadian Vintage Motorcycle Group.
Outdoor activities are always a weather gamble in Saskatchewan. Still after the rain and cool temperatures experienced in the middle of last week, the sun shone brightly drawing residents and visitors to the annual Festival. The food vendors were kept busy, the street market was crowded, and children took full advantage of the many opportunities to burn off some energy. For those wanting to do something a bit different, the Rosthern Ag Society held a gymkhana at the arena located at Seager Wheeler Farm complete with Ol’ Macdonald’s Petting Zoo, and the Corn Maze at the Youth Farm Bible Camp was open as well.
To round out the day’s activities and bring the annual Festival to a close the Saskatoon Co-op featured an outdoor movie in the Jubilee Sports Centre Parking Lot. Attendees were treated to a free viewing of Kung Fu Panda 4, before celebrating fall with a fireworks display.
