PENHOLD – It’s an end of summer tradition.
Families, local residents and visitors took in the annual Penhold Fall Festival from Sept. 6-8.
The event opened Friday evening and featured midway rides, bouncy castles, live entertainment, food trucks and a craft beer, wine and spirits festival.
“We kicked it off Friday night with our midway and our craft beer festival. It was even bigger than last year. There was a huge turnout,” said Penhold mayor Mike Yargeau. “Cole Malone played the whole evening and he and his band did a great job.
“This is our way to end the summer on a good note, as we head into the fall and winter,” he added.
The fun continued Saturday morning with a pancake breakfast and the fall festival parade.
“(The parade is) bigger and bigger every year. We’re one of the small towns where you can still throw candy in a parade so our streets are always lined with kids and adults,” said Yargeau. “People come from all over to watch our parade and then enjoy the fall festival afterwards.”
Parade co-coordinator Christine Yargeau-Becker said the parade is a great community event.
“We usually have about 40 floats every year,” said Yargeau-Becker, noting there was a variety of floats from Penhold and surrounding communities including Innisfail, Red Deer and Sylvan Lake. “It’s nice because the local businesses get out there too, meet everybody and support the community. It’s pretty awesome.”
The fall festival also included adult hockey and soccer tournaments, a homegrown market, a free family skate and fireworks on Saturday evening.
Some Penhold residents were attending the fall festival for the first time on Saturday, while others, like Roxanne Pollack and her family, have attended the annual parade and festival for the past seven years.
“It’s amazing. There’s something for everyone, the kids and the adults,” said Pollack.
