Who says there’s nothing to do in small towns? Two great events are coming up this weekend, with the annual Desert Daze Music Festival taking place in Spences Bridge on Friday and Saturday (Sept. 6 and 7), and the Ashcroft and District Fall Fair happening at Drylands Arena in Ashcroft on Sunday, Sept. 8.
There’s a good reason why Desert Daze bills itself as “The Best Little Fest in the West”: because it is! Now in its 15th year, the festival celebrates the life, people, and culture of rural communities in the heart of British Columbia with two days of wall-to-wall music outdoors in the grounds of the former Spences Bridge Elementary School.
Worried about the weather? Don’t be! Organizers have arranged for the temperature to be hitting the low 30s on both days, with no rain, but bring a light jacket or sweater just in case, because as the music heats up later in the day, the temperature can cool off. And don’t forget to bring your own chair or blanket, so you can chill out and relax.
There’s plenty to do while you enjoy the music, including kids’ activities, face painting, a disc golf demo, and a chance to decorate your own garden stone. The vendor village will have some cool merchandise to purchase, as well as a raffle with some awesome prizes, and a pancake breakfast on Saturday morning. You can also kick back at the popular Bighorn Lounge, which will be serving up adult beverages (if you’re lucky, you’ll see some of the area’s resident Bighorn sheep enjoying the festival).
Tickets are available at www.desertdaze.ca/tickets or at the gate. Please remember to bring cash if you plan on purchasing tickets or other items at the event, since the festival is not set up to take debit or credit cards at this time. Gates open at 2 p.m. on Sept. 6 and 9 a.m. on Sept. 7.
Wanting more great family fun after Desert Daze? Then head over to Drylands Arena on Sept. 8, where the Ashcroft and District Fall Fair is carrying on a tradition that stretches all the way back to 1890.
Volunteers will be at the arena from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 7 to accept entries for the fair. Then, on Sunday, the doors open at 10 a.m. for the fair itself, which runs until 3 p.m. and features a full range of activities, events, entertainment, raffles, vendors, a food truck, and more.
There will be face painting and balloon animals from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., live music from Jordan Danger at 10:15 a.m. and 2 p.m., and shows from the Golden Spike Can-can Dancers at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Jump ’n’ Jax Entertainment will be there with inflatables all day, and the Ashcroft 4-H Club will be bringing some very special guests.
Want to take part in some old-fashioned fun and games? There will be a corn shucking contest at 11:30 a.m., a nail hammering contest at noon, a tug-of-war at 12:30 p.m., and zucchini races at 1 p.m. For this last event, bring your own zucchini (homegrown or store-bought; feel free to decorate it in advance), and wheels will be supplied when you get there.
Not enough going on? Well, the Ashcroft Farmers’ Market will be setting up at the arena instead of at their usual spot on Railway Avenue, so come and check out the amazing vendors. And the Ashcroft and District Lions Club will be on-site with their food truck, so no one will go hungry. There will be an auction of donated items starting at 3 p.m., and prizes for winning entries will be handed out from 3 to 6 p.m.
Entry to the fair is $2 per person (children 5 and under are free). For more information, visit the Ashcroft & District Fall Fair Facebook page.
