REDVERS - While many Canadian cities and towns debated celebrating Canada Day this year, the town of Redvers decided to pull out all the stops. A full day of activities was offered and the turnout was good.
A pancake breakfast hosted by the Knights of Columbus kicked off the day. Eighty-eight-year-old Emile Magotiaux said that this breakfast has been going on for as long as he can remember. Others confirmed that it has been a part of the celebrations for about 40 years.
Close to 300 people enjoyed the breakfast, which is the most that anyone can remember.
A mixed slo-pitch tournament ran throughout the day. Eight teams took part, with six of them coming all the way from Redvers. The two other teams drove further, coming from Manor and Storthoaks.
A parade featuring older cars, trucks, tractors, golf carts, firetrucks and horses took place at 1 p.m. The children loved the parade, mostly because treats were tossed from the vehicles. Adults were also observed scrambling for the candies.
A bouncy castle was up and running during the afternoon, giving the kids an opportunity to use up some of the energy that the parade treats infused.
The local fire department ran a Children’s Fireman Rodeo. This was well-attended with over 100 kids pulling and hoisting hoses, pushing weights and crawling through tunnels. It gave them an opportunity to try their hand at being a firefighter.
The Canada Day celebrations came to an end with the setting of the sun. However, the skies continued to be lit up by the fireworks that followed. Then everyone headed home, except for two families who were using the Canada Day weekend as an excuse to have reunions. About 45 Poiriers (from Victoria, B.C., to Gatineau, Que.) and 50 Purvises and Nixons (from Alberta to Ontario) stayed for the weekend and continued to celebrate, moving their emphasis from being Canadians to being family.
