Considering the people who came and went by vehicle or park-and-ride vans, those who walked down the hill to the Flats and the hundreds who gathered for fireworks on the sides of the valley, Mayor Chris Odishaw of Battleford estimates 10,000 people enjoyed this year's BridgeFest.
"It was a wonderful day," says Odishaw of the third annual event aimed at bridging the community together.
Presented by the City of North Battleford, the Town of Battleford and the Battlefords United Way, BridgeFest was held Saturday under clear skies and warm temperatures.
The weather was beautiful, says Jane Zielke, executive director of the Battlefords United Way. It was fitting that as children's storyteller Joseph Naytowhow sang an opening song about daybreak, the sun broke through the morning clouds and shone down on BridgeFest.
"All in all," she says, "It was a very good event."
Zielkie says she spent a good part of her day assisting with parking. As she spoke to the people as they arrived, she found many of them were there on their first visit to BridgeFest, so there were a lot of new attendees to help bring the numbers up.
The festival, featuring entertainment, activities, food, sports and more, wrapped up in the evening with fireworks and a performances by Canadian artists Chad Klinger, The Sheepdogs and Bif Naked.
A lot of work and community support, to the tune of $100,000, goes into putting on an event free for everyone, says Odishaw.
Odishaw jokingly takes credit for the good weather.
"I prayed hard for the weather," he says. "When I went to bed at midnight Friday night, the Weather Channel forecast was 40 per cent chance of showers."
He went to bed with a prayer on his lips, and when he awoke at 6 a.m. Saturday, the probability was zero. Any clouds that threatened the day passed BridgeFest by, and when tear-down was wrapping up at 3 a.m. Sunday morning, only about 10 drops of rain had fallen, he says.
So far, Odishaw says he's had very positive feedback by e-mail and Facebook. Lots of respondents are saying they can hardly wait for next year, he says.
Of course, there is always someone who will make a negative comment, he says. In this case it was regarding a stabbing incident.
Negative incidents can happen at events such as the fair and the rodeo dance, and now at BridgeFest, but is worth it not to hold them at all because of that, he asks.
He doesn't think so. BridgeFest is a chance for the community to come out and meet, share and visit with their neighbours, for organizations to make some money and raise awareness, he points out. One negative incident doesn't mean there is no net benefit, says Odishaw.
