Blossom Festival Leads with “Man in Black”
Story by: Hugh Johnston
It must be spring because plans are well underway for the 74th Creston Valley Blossom Festival. This four day funfest begins on Friday, May 15 and runs through until Monday, May 18. From the opening ceremonies Friday until the last event, the Children’s Picnic in Centennial Park, on Monday, the curtain comes down on a blockbuster weekend Tuesday will be a day of rest for most of the town below the mountains.
The Blossom Fest has become the major event in the Creston Valley offering something for everyone with few new wrinkles thrown in to keep it fresh. For instance, the Friday night opening ceremonies have gone back to the formula of bringing in a well-known entertainer to headline the show. The show will feature David James and Big River, a group dedicated to preserving the music of Johnny Cash.
The same night the Rotary Clubs will announce who their Citizen of the Year is. Local dignitaries will cut the ribbon to officially open the four day weekend festival.
Saturday is the busiest day of the weekend. Early in the morning the Lions Club will be setting up shop next to Sunset Seeds with their big breakfast featuring two pancakes, two sausages, two fried eggs, juice and coffee all for $6.00. It runs from 7:00 am till 11:00 am just in time to have a hearty breakfast before catching the mammoth parade. It starts to assemble on the Prince Charles high school parking lot at dawn. The parade complete with marching bands, clowns, floats and antique cars begins by the Creston Motel and winds its way down Canyon to Northwest Blvd until it reaches the mall where it will disburse. In Creston, everybody or so it seems loves a parade.
The Lions Street Fair, co-sponsored by TAPS, will be in Spirit Square beginning at 9:00 am with a variety of goods on sale and food booths as well. On the College of the Rockies parking lot you will find the Kidapalooza put on by Success by Six. Great fun games for the kids including a bouncy tent. The Root Beer Garden returns with the Climbing Wall to the south parking lot at Millennium Park. Also is the popular FREE concert in Millennium Park. Six popular local bands will be taking the stage for individual performances. So far Peanut Butter and Jam are taking part as is Gone Country. More names to be revealed by the end of April.
The LKB Pow Wow begins with the Grand Entrance from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm and again from 7:00 pm to midnight in the LKB Gymnasium. It will also go on Sunday from 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm. Also on Sunday, the Knights of Columbus Western breakfast starts things off at the Holy Cross Hall. You get a complete breakfast for $6.00. The Blossom 5K and 10K take place at Canyon Park. The afternoon continues with the Classic Car Show on Canyon Street this year featuring a Jaws of Life demonstration.
Also on Canyon, the Creston Lions Club will have their food trailer set up featuring hot chili, hot dogs and chili dogs. Also on Sunday is the roar of the engines as the Demolition Derby gets underway at the old airport site in Kitchener.
Monday, the last day of the festival begins with the Wings and Wheels event at the Creston Airport featuring a breakfast, Classic Car Show and demonstrations of some of the planes. The Lions Club children’s parade assembles behind the CIBC at 10:30AM. The parade departs at 11:00 am for the journey from 12th Ave to 10th Ave. Following the parade the action takes place at Centennial Park where the kids get a free hot dog if they took part in the parade. The Lions also will be serving their popular burgers and a variety of soft drinks and water will be available for purchase. A group of Army Cadets will be organizing games for the young folk and the 50-50 Button Draw will take place to wind up the Blossom Festival.
New at This Year’s Blossom Festival
Story by: Hugh Johnston
The people in charge of the Blossom Festival have decided to not stand on their laurels but to bring in some new events.
Last year’s big success was the 100 KM Yard sale which ran from Yahk to Riondel. It is back again and organizers are looking forward to attracting anymore residents to put their goods at the end of their driveway and wait for the customers to come. The parking lot at Creston Trucking, the Peterboro dealer will be an assembly point for Creston vendors. Sunday morning will see the kickoff and even bigger crowds than last year are anticipated.
Also returning this year is the Midway after a lengthy absence. To be sure they have returned to Creston in recent years either in April or early May. This year West Coast Amusements will be bringing in more rides as they set up shop on the vacant lot next to Extra Foods on Cook St. for your midway fun on Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the long weekend in May.
New at This Year’s Blossom Festival South of town, the Therapeutic Riding Club will be holding an open house and you can also take a tour of Spectrum Farms from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. In case you had forgotten, the Arena has a cement floor so on Saturday at 3:00 pm to 5:00pm you can Rollerblade with music. Enter to win a Fitbit, skate rentals will be available.
The Teen Dance in Millennium Park will be held on Friday this year to accommodate the busy schedule of popular DJ Robin. On Saturday, the Creston Legion is holding a Blossom Festival dance beginning at 8:00 pm. Entertainment will be announced later. Sunday will see the Rally in the Valley which is a U12 Soccer Jamboree on the pitch next to the Rec Complex.
It is movie time at the Tivoli Theatre with the showing of the family movie, “Finding Normal” sponsored by the Creston Ministerial Association. On Monday, don’t miss the Wheelbarrow races being held outside Home Hardware at 9:30 am. Feel like a swim? Success by Six is sponsoring a free Public Swim at the Aquatic Centre from 2:15pm to 4:15pm.