An organizer of Sundre Winterfest 2018 said she was glad to see so many residents come out despite cold conditions.
An organizer of Sundre Winterfest 2018 said she was glad to see so many residents come out despite cold conditions.
“People still came out and really seemed to enjoy themselves,” Norma Fenton, a member of the Winter Fest organizing committee, told the Round Up last week.
“It was fantastic,” she said.
Although organizers did not track precise numbers of visitors who came to the Sundre Pioneer Museum and historical village throughout the annual event's two-day time span of Feb. 17-18, an estimated 300 people attended overall, she said, adding the largest crowd came out on Saturday.
Preparing plans for the winter celebration typically gets underway some time following Canada Day, when the organizing committee begins making arrangements for plenty of family-friendly activities for the community, she said.
“There's something for everybody,” she said, adding the event offers a good cross-section of interesting options for people of all ages.
Among the numerous events taking place at this year's Winterfest were as follows: an artisan show and sale; live music performances; wagon rides; heritage demonstrations that included frying homemade bread dough in bacon grease; the traditional ice sculpture carefully carved out with a chainsaw by Olds artist Gregory McMartin; and of course a variety of children's activities such as rock and face painting. Additionally, a cartoonist from Calgary once again returned to make caricatures of individuals, couples or even entire families, she said
“He has come up every year for a few years — he's amazing,” she said.
“I think that's why a lot of people come, because they know that he's coming.”
Darryl MacGregor brought his team of horses out to offer wagon rides with some help from Robert Dale, and even though the weather was rather frigid on Sunday, they still toughed it out for a while for those who were willing to brave the cold, she said.
Sundre Winterfest is hosted through the Sundre and District Historical Society with some financial contributions from other local organizations as well, she said, adding the event has run annually for a number of years and that it has evolved along the way.
“Every year there's something a little different.”
