It's a big weekend for Battleford, starting Friday with the opening of the 2014 Saskatchewan Handcraft Festival. The festival is organized each year by the Saskatchewan Craft Council and draws crafters from across Western Canada. Taking place at the Alex Dillabough Centre, the hours are Friday from noon until 7 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. In addition to the sales market, there will also be live crafts demonstrations and children's activities provided by the Rivers West District Mobile Playground.
Traditionally, the Handcraft Festival Weekend is also the weekend of the Battleford Parade, this year being the 32nd annual and, as usual, it begins at 8 p.m. Last year the route was changed up to begin and end at Fort Battleford. Form up is in the area between the visitor's centre and the next door Eiling Kramer Campground. Following the same route as last year, the parade will travel down Central Avenue from the Fort to 15th Street, where it will turn and move west to 2nd Avenue. It will follow 2nd Avenue to 22nd Street, where it will turn east and travel back to Central Avenue, then return by Central to the Fort. This year's theme is Battleford - 110 Years Old and Still Growing.
The route change last year was made to allow the Friends of the Fort to hold activities at the Fort in conjunction with the parade. Festivities get underway at 5 p.m. with a barbecue and beer gardens. The usual fireworks will be held in that area as well at approximately 11 p.m.
Saturday Fort Battleford will be presenting Fort Fest '14, an event for the entire family. In addition to a bouncy castle, bungee pull, petting zoo, live music, beer gardens, a blacksmith, wagon rides, a telegraph demonstration, black powder demonstrations, a disc golf tournament is on the agenda. Fort Fest runs from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Admission is $7.80 for adults, $7.30 for seniors and $5.80 for youths, or $21.50 per family. The first 50 kids get free kites.
