The fourth-annual day-long party at the Battleford Flats will take place from 9 a.m. to midnight August 25th.
This year's BridgeFest, which is organized by the City of North Battleford, the Town of Battleford and the Battlefords United Way and sponsored by the Battlefords Agency Tribal Chiefs, is designed to foster feelings of belonging and pride in the community among residents.
This year's BridgeFest will be slightly different from last year's, with a variety of new activities.
New at this year's festival will be Eagle Hills Foods, a U-pick farm that will be offering free samples and selling their toppings and Feed the Artist, a local artist cooperative who will sell their magazine.
The event will also feature a wide variety of new activities for participants of all ages continuing through the day, including pony rides and activities organized by Big Brothers Big Sisters, including two jumping tents and "Teen Blow Up Bops."
"They're blow-up things that you go inside of and then you try to roll and hit each other," Organizer Treena Rathwell explained. "Bumper balls for teenagers, I guess you could say."
There will also be a dunk tank run by the Scuba Diving Club, where participants will get the chance to dunk members of the community, a vintage car show, a balloon guy, a petting zoo and a shootout run by Battlefords Female Sharks Hockey. A market place run by Battleford Residential Services will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Beach volleyball and slo-pitch, of course, will return this year, and children will be able to view a WPD ambulance up close.
For foods, participants will have a large range of choices. Local businesses, including the Queens Hotel, Crandleberry's, Venice House and Ice Cream Oasis will man food stalls, and there will also be Ruthenian, Indian and Thai food, as well as food from King Street and East Meets West.
The beer gardens will also return, with a new $5 cover charge after 6 p.m.
The event will start at 9 a.m. with the "Nifty Fifties," continue at 10 a.m. with the Hobby Band. At 11 a.m. the family-themed events will start, with Brenda Baker. Noon will see the opening ceremonies, followed at 12:45 with hoop dancing and a powwow. At 2 o'clock, hypnotist William James will entertain the crowd. He will be followed by a series of bands, starting at 3:45 with Kingdom of Ravens, who will be followed at 5 p.m. by Stereo Playground, at 6:15 with Eekwol and 7:30 with Se7en Sided.
As the music continues on, the Tug of War for Canadian Mental Health will take place at 7 p.m.
The closing ceremonies will take place at 9 p.m., but the events will continue through the night, with a fireworks display at 9:30 and headliner Big Wreck taking the stage at 9:45.
This year, the huge variety of activities will be centrally located near each other at the Battleford Flats.
