MIDALE - Mainprize Regional Park hosted a vibrant Canada Day celebration during the July long weekend, drawing large crowds and marking the occasion with a variety of events and activities.
"We had a huge, jam-packed weekend of events," said Michelle Walsh, general manager of Mainprize Regional Park. "We started it off with our annual slow-pitch tournament, which we brought back this year."
The festivities included a cabaret featuring Lone Rambler, a pancake breakfast, and a Family Fun Day highlighted by the park's biggest parade ever.
"Generally, we have one or two classic cars. We had over nine classic cars, we had some horses, we had the RCMP this year, and the current numbers were bigger than ever. We had a very successful long parade. It was, for sure, the biggest parade that Mainprize has ever seen," Walsh added.
They also ran campsite and cart decorating contests, with Chelsey Wall winning first for setting up a Canada Day photo booth at her site, and Tara Porte winning the other competition for decorating her cart to look like one from the Flintstones cartoon.
Children enjoyed a bouncy castle on the beach and other activities, while the entire family could take part in outdoor games and enjoy free ice cream.
"We brought our friend I Scream Treats out from Estevan, and she helped us get that all out to everybody," Walsh said. "We had hot dogs and chips for free until we ran out, which happened for the first time ever."
Numbers were a bit down on Canada Day due to it being on a Monday, but overall, the park experienced very high attendance, with the golf course and marina being really busy.
"Our golf course saw record numbers out on the green and our marina was busy, the beach was busy," Walsh noted.
Despite some fluctuations in day-trip attendance compared to the previous year, the overall turnout was strong.
"We had a really successful weekend, none of us are sad about the numbers we've seen through," Walsh mentioned.
The celebrations concluded with a spectacular fireworks show.
"We bring in Paradise Fireworks from Regina, and they always give us a really good show," Walsh said. "This year, they ended with a heart and a smiley face design, which was a big hit."
Walsh noted that they have a new group of volunteers – the Doctor Mainprize Foundation – who was instrumental in making the weekend a success.
In addition to the Canada Day events, the park is gearing up for a summer filled with activities.
"Next weekend, we have our annual glow golf [July 5], then our Doctor Mainprize Foundation is hosting a cornhole tournament [July 6]," Walsh said. "We have a newly-sanded beach, a newly-groomed nature trail … with a scavenger hunt for kids, and of course, our golf course and fishing spots."
For more information on upcoming events at Mainprize Regional Park, visit their website or contact the park office.
