Emokhare Paul Anthony
Daily Herald
The executive director of Prince Albert downtown business district Street Fair, Rhoda Trusty has announced this year’s Street Fair will be held on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
It will be a special one for Trusty, who has spent four years as PADBID executive director. This year, the Street Fair celebrates its 20th anniversary, and she’s one of five executive directors who have helped organize it over the years. The others are Jayne Remenda, James Banman, Bob Gill, Rick Orr, and Carolyn Carleton.
“Street Fair started with just a couple block radius,” Trusty said. “I think the initial goal was to encourage people to explore the downtown. We have multiple long-standing retail businesses, we’ve got our museum, we have multiple art galleries and educational facilities, so it was just a way to celebrate our downtown and it has just progressively grown … which is exciting.
“It shows there is an opportunity for the citizens to come down to the downtown and if they haven’t been down there for a while, to re-explore our city.”
This free fun family festival consists of several blocks of continuous entertainment and activities for people of all ages. Trusty said it’s a great way for family and friends to spend quality time together with series of side attractions like food trucks, sidewalk sales, free entrance to the historical museum, and more.
Trusty said the PADBID Street Fair is Prince Albert’s largest single day community event with more than 18,000 people attending this annual festival.
“It’s going to be a very full and busy day, and we’re very excited,” Trusty said.
To celebrate their 20th anniversary, the Street Fair is bringing back a second stage of entertainment, so they’ll have two live performance areas. They also have partnered with Parts for the Arts to host a one-day choir.
Trusty said the Wandering Metis Jason McKay will be on scene doing interviews, walking around, and exploring the area.
PADBID also brought back the petting zoo, pony rides, juggles, face painters, and other attractions.
The organization received a big boost in the weeks leading up to Street Fair with the Northern Lights Community Development Corporation providing a $15,000 sponsorship.
Trusty said it’s great to have organizations like Northern Lights offering their support.
“It’s very gratifying,” she said. “I think they appreciate the work that’s involved in putting on this large scale of an event.”
–with files from Jason Kerr/Daily Herald
