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Canada Day fun for everyone

Local communities had everything from face painting to ice cream cake on Canada's 148th birthday.
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Members of the Ashcroft Legion and Ashcroft Sea Cadets form a colour party at the Canada Day celebration in the Heritage Park.

Hundreds of people in area communities celebrated Canada’s 148th birthday last Wednesday with music, stories, prayers, games, face painting, bike parades, and much more.

In Ashcroft events kicked off at 10:00 am in the Heritage Park on Railway, where children could get their faces painted, take part in a bike parade, and participate in games such as water balloon throwing and sack races. The park was festooned with maple leaf decorations, and some 350 people took advantage of the shade to watch the Colour Party arrive and listen to prayers and music from Kevin Sandy and Elders Diane Sandy and Johnny Pierro from the Bonaparte Band. Fraser-Nicola MLA Jackie Tegart and Ashcroft Mayor Jack Jeyes gave short addresses and former Mayor Andy Anderson did his traditional fly past.

Grade six student Colin Mastin sang two songs; then John Kidder entertained with songs and stories about Ashcroft and cowboy life, and the entire crowd joined in the singing of “O Canada” and “God Save the Queen”. The Lions were on hand to provide free hot dogs and water, and there was the traditional Canada Day cake, as well as ice cream, provided by the event’s organizers, the Winding Rivers Arts and Performance Society.

In Cache Creek some 120 people enjoyed Canada Day at the Community Hall, which opened with a family bingo, as well as games, crafts, and face painting for the children. Free hot dogs and Dairy Queen ice cream cake were available to all at 5:00 pm, and Mayor John Ranta spoke to those in attendance. The event ended with a lively family dance in the Hall, with about 40 people staying to enjoy the music and dancing.

Barbara Roden