Instead of having just one sculptor carving out a block of ice during this weekend’s annual WinterFest, organizers have invited several chainsaw artisans who will create unique work from wood over the course of two days.
The 25th annual family-friendly community event hosted by the Sundre and District Museum takes place this Saturday and Sunday. Four chainsaw craftspeople will be demonstrating their talent, said Darlene Temple, a volunteer organizer with the museum as well as a former executive director.
“They will all be in the historic village area,” said Temple, adding that among them are people from Cochrane and Calgary as well as a local artist from Sundre.
They will start new projects from scratch on Saturday and depending on how detailed their piece is, they could be completely finished by Sunday, she said. Each artist will also have some of their past work on display and available for purchase.
Any sales from purchased artwork will go to the artisans. The museum will also be raising funds through raffle tickets with a total of five draws for a chance to win $1,000. Additionally, there will be a pegboard game, where people will have an opportunity to win one of four prizes contributed by local and nearby businesses. Prizes include a charging system from Bumper to Bumper, a drill set from Home Hardware, a gift certificate for Schott’s Lake, as well as a child’s rocking horse chair which is actually a car that was donated by a museum volunteer, she said.
Meanwhile, much of the rest of the weekend’s events will resemble past years, with a few tweaks. Darryl McGregor plans to return with his team of horses for wagon rides that will take people down into the Greenwood Campground. Live musical entertainment will be hosted in the museum’s reception centre and children’s activities will be held in the youth centre. The latter will include rock and face painting as well as a glitter tattoo artist, she said.
“This year, we are also bringing in a photo booth. So everyone can come in and put on some props.”
While the booth will be set up with a variety of fun items to wear, people will need to have their own camera or smartphone, she said.
Throughout both days there will also be a balloon animal-making clown roaming around with a little clown — her son, she said.
Throughout the museum’s grounds, the reception area will host an artisan show and sale and the ranger station area will have different organizations promoting their efforts, including a lookout tower worker from Sundre who will be sharing her stories and experiences, she said.
Additionally, a representative from the Alberta Agriculture and Forestry office in Rocky Mountain House will be available to offer insight and information, while members from Sundre Search and Rescue Society will also be informing people about the group, she said.
“They’d love to have people come and visit and find out what they’re all about.”
The reception centre will also feature a heritage demonstration by a mother-daughter duo that will be showing people hand quilting techniques, as well as another who will be operating a traditional spinning machine, she said.
There will also be an opportunity to see the blacksmith shop in action, she said.
Providing funding and support for the museum’s annual event is Canadian Heritage, the Town of Sundre, as well as the Sundre Lions and Elks clubs. The latter’s hall will be hosting a farmers market, she said.
Saturday’s musical entertainment will feature roughly one-hour long performances by Hither and Yon, a new group that plays music inspired by Celtic tunes, another band called Singing Together, as well as Linda Holden, the main singer of Rooster in the Hen House, she said.
Sunday’s entertainment includes appearances by Diane Stefanchuk, musicians Rogey Kyncl, Larry Sands and Ray Nelson, followed for the finale by the Midnight Riders, she said.
Activities run both days from noon to 4 p.m. and the $2 price of admission this year includes the Chester Mjolsness World of Wildlife Exhibit, which in the past was an additional cost to access. Those proceeds support the museum, she said.
Visit www.sundremuseum.com for more information about the museum and other upcoming events.
