MIDALE - In recent years, Midale has become synonymous with activities for the Saskatchewan Day long weekend.
The community will once again have a host of events lined up from Aug. 2-4, starting with the Midale Rodeo Association's 16th annual Bull Bash on Friday, Aug. 2. Then the Souris Valley Antique Association (SVAA) will have its 58th annual Pioneer Echoes weekend on Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 3 and 4.
For the bull bash on Aug. 2, gates open at the Midale rodeo grounds at 5 p.m., and there will be beer gardens and four food booths.
The bull bash will begin at 7 p.m. Mutton busting and wild pony rides are also scheduled. At 9:30 p.m., there will be an adults-only cabaret featuring Crossroads.
Committee member Adam Carlson said the event typically attracts a large crowd, with over 1,000 people attending last year. Spectators are treated to a highly-competitive event put on by Crossfire Bull Riding productions. The athletes are part of Bull Riders Canada and it is dually-approved by the Canadian Cowboys' Association.
"We have lots of riders coming from all over, mostly Saskatchewan and Manitoba guys," said Carlson.
Aaron Roy, a well-known bull rider from Yellow Grass, is expected to compete. Some riders from Brazil are also expected to be in Midale. The top six riders who enter the short go will be auctioned off in a Calcutta for later in the evening.
"Everyone enjoys coming to our facility. Our facility has grown every year and we're doing more additions to it to make it better each year," said Carlson. "Hopefully it brings the competitors and the fans, and they enjoy it with the upgrades that we're doing to make it enjoyable for everyone, and a safe environment as well."
Carlson said they're very happy with the support of the sponsors and the volunteers, as the association wouldn't be able to host these events without them.
The Pioneer Echoes will kick off at 7 a.m. on Aug. 3 and 4 with a pancake breakfast at Midale's downtown museum on Main Street.
There will be a ranch rodeo and food booths at the rodeo grounds at 10 a.m. on Aug. 3. Carlson said events will include ranch sorting and loading, calf branding, doctoring, wild cow milking and a bonus event. A chicken scramble will take place for kids. Teams are still being accepted.
More information can be found on the Midale Rodeo Association's Facebook page.
The heritage village will open at 11 a.m. both days, with a flea market, a blacksmithing demonstration and other activities happening well into the afternoon. A thresherman's concession booth also opens at 11 a.m. each day. Beer gardens start at 1 p.m. on Aug. 3 and 11 a.m. on Aug. 4.
The antique tractor parade will be at 2 p.m. each day, and a live threshing demonstration will follow.
The Truco Trick Riders perform at 5 p.m. on Aug. 3, and Crossrooads will play at a cabaret at 8 p.m. that night.
Aug. 4 will also feature a barrel racing jackpot at 8 a.m. and team roping at noon, both of which are organized by the rodeo association, and a church service in the heritage village at 11 a.m.
The Midale Classy Car Show and Shine will be at noon on Main Street on Aug. 4.
New for this year is a people mover that will be used to take people from the heritage village to the activities downtown.
"If you're coming to town and you're worried about different events happening throughout the town and how to get there, we have the means of transportation that will be running throughout the weekend," said Ryan Swenson with the SVAA.
The idea was brought to the committee's attention, and Swenson said it fit well with what they were trying to do.
"We've had a lot of people bring up the fact that it's hard to see everything, when, especially with our side of things, we're spread out between Main Street Midale and the sport grounds."
Swenson believes having the events on the August long weekend has worked out well in recent years. With harvest approaching, it's good timing with the threshing demonstration.
"It actually started out in a field just outside of town. They had a group of guys that just threshed a little piece of land, and it's grown into what it has today. It's always been a harvest type of thing," said Swenson.
The events happening during the August long weekend also have a good economic spinoff for Midale, with many people coming into the community.
"It benefits the entire town," said Swenson.
