INNISFAIL – As spring moves closer to merging with summer there will be plenty of love in the community to spread around.
There will be proud love for community as the town celebrates its 120th year anniversary.
And then there will be thousands of expressions of heartfelt love for those in need of special care and respect.
The 17-member Foothills Centennial Fiddlers group has given its own heartfelt pledge to be part of this community spirit.
Led by musical director Murray Cameron, the fiddlers took their old-time country music to the Innisfail Royal Canadian Legion Branch #104 on June 1.
The show was billed as an event to mark the Town of Innisfail’s 120th year anniversary.
“They're doing several events and this is just one of them, and so we're presenting an olde tyme country dance afternoon,” said Cameron.
He said his band of fiddlers and other musicians last played the Innisfail legion on Jan. 27 to celebrate 18 years of playing together across Central Alberta to appreciative audiences.
Once again, the fiddlers offered their fun-filled mix of Don Messer-style waltzes, the two step, jive, schottische partnered dance, the seven step, polka, ragtime, as well as some East Coast fiddle music and country standards made famous by Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys.
“The last time when we were there they sold out and everybody was so excited about it,” said Cameron. “They (legion) were overwhelmed by what happened last time. It was standing room only and some people came to the door and they had to turn around and leave because there was no place to sit.”
On June 3 the fiddlers will be on the green space between the Innisfail Health Centre and Autumn Grove to perform for an hour at 1 p.m. during the Crochet BOMB Project Installation Party.
The June 3 project, which is attracting national and even global interest, is running from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Thousands of handmade crocheted hearts from around the country and world will be attached to the chain link fence surrounding both facilities.
"I am thrilled the fiddlers offered to play for our event. There is nothing like fiddle music to get your feet tapping to the music and fill the air with joy,” said local artist Karen Scarlett, the creator of the project, whose father Ed was a fiddler. “It’s (project) all about spreading joy so I feel like having them included is a perfect fit. I can not wait to enjoy their performance."
However, the pleasure is all with Cameron and his dedicated musicians, who are all thrilled to lend a hand to the project and its goal of sharing community love to seniors at Autumn Grove and their neighbouring hospital patients.
In fact, Cameron noted that one of the group’s fiddlers, 90-year-old Arnold Jones, is a resident of Autumn Grove.
“It's great the community's getting behind this,” said Cameron. “Brian Jackson, who is one of our fiddlers, and I got talking about it and we said, ‘sure they need a little fun to go on, and there’s nothing like some good lively fiddle music to liven up the day.
“We're happy to be a part of it.”
