News Leader News for June 19, 2007
ARE WE READY FOR FUN?
Racing Days weekend has been Princeton's biggest annual event since 1965. The big attraction was always the horse races. This year, the races begin at 3:00 PM Friday, June 29. Mayor Randy McLean will be at Sunflower Downs racetrack at 2:30 PM to officially open the weekend of fun. No admission is charged to attend the races. Pari-mutuel betting is restricted to adults, but children are welcome to attend.
The races will finish in the evening with the running of the Similkameen Cup. This is thoroughbred racing at its best. The owners like the prestige of winning the cup as well as the purse. There is up to $60,000 in purse money this year, with the biggest purse for the winner of the Similkameen Cup.
Music is a big part of this year's Racing Days weekend, and will be a feature throughout the weekend, both at the racetrack and several venues downtown. Numerous musicians and musical groups will be in town to perform at a variety of locations. The music event is called Sounds of Our Heritage. Old-time music and dancing by traditional English village dancers will be part of the music menu.
For the younger set, the Youth Ambassadors host a dance (under 19 only) at Riverside Centre at 8:00 PM.
The morning of Saturday, June 30, at 9:30, the Lions Club hosts a pancake breakfast at Rotary Park. This event includes a duck race, held on Tulameen River if the river is shallow enough at that time. If not, the race takes place in a wading pool.
Princeton's Rotarians organize the Racing Days parade, which takes place at noon on Saturday. The parade theme this year is "The Great Outdoors".
Contact Judy Short at 295-0217. Count on some added floats from the three class reunions taking place on the weekend.
Following the parade, the Youth Ambassador Coronation takes place at Riverside Centre at 1:00 PM.
Vermilion Artists host their annual Art Show June 30 and July 1 in the former Goldion Restaurant on Vermilion Avenue.
If you like to golf, sign up for the mixed tournament for June 30 and July 1.
Saturday evening there will be a dance at the arena featuring Frame 313, well-known in the Princeton area, and the very popular Blackbirds from down the valley. Dance tickets are $15, advance sales not necessary. There will be food and refreshments at the dance.
A cowboy poetry contest will take place during the weekend. If you wish to participate, see Ed at Image Emporium.
Sunday, July 1, at 1:00 PM, is the time to sing "Happy Birthday" to Canada, and enjoy a birthday cake. Canada is 140 years old this year. There will be small flags available, but if you want to bring your own flag and wave it, feel free to do so. For the kids, Canada Day tattoos will be strategically placed for temporary enjoyment.
For all ages, the swimming pool offers a free swim from 2 - 4:00 PM on Canada Day.
ARTS COUNCIL LOOKS AT BUSY YEAR
Princeton and District Community Arts Council took time at the June 13 meeting to review some past successes. Del Hall has sent a report to the BC Assembly of Arts Councils regarding Arts & Culture Week, and the report was impressive. It outlines five sold-out performances of The Mousetrap, the first play done by Princeton Performing Arts. Princeton Concert Society hosted the first ballet performance in Princeton, and Vermilion Artists hosted an art show by students Miranda Grigg and Mary Ann Campbell. It was an exciting week.
Everyone at the meeting took time to reflect on the loss of actress Maureen Sanderson, who played her last role in The Mousetrap. Maureen's vibrant personality and enthusiasm will be missed.
Town Council has given Vermilion Artists use of a portion of the former Goldion Restaurant to host an art show for Canada Day weekend. This will round out the 2006-07 season for Vermilion Artists, but plans are in the works for a drawing workshop in autumn.
John Sandness, on behalf of Princeton Garden Club, went to John Allison Elementary School this spring to show youngsters how to plant seeds. The club bought 38 packages of seeds to Grade 1 classes. Seeds not planted at school could be taken home and planted. The students will report back to the Garden Club in September.
The Garden Club planted flowers at the Senior Citizen Centre, and is looking forward to helping with the Lions new park at the west entrance to Princeton.
Vermilion Forks Field Naturalists enjoyed a workshop by Lisa Scott on noxious weeds of our area, such as toad flax, hound's tongue, spurge, and knapweed. She advised anyone with toad flax problems there is now a bug available to combat the plant, and anyone wishing a packet of these bugs should contact her.
Princeton's Community Band hosts a concert at Princeton Secondary School on Monday, June 25, and will be in the Racing Days parade June 30 at noon. Joseph Dubé reported how impressed he was with Music Under the K with its massed bands. The youth band from Princeton participated again this year.
The Arts Council is looking for a weaver who might be interested in teaching weaving and/or forming a weaver's group.
The next Arts Council meeting will be the AGM on July 18. Councillor Ray Jarvis will conduct the election of the 2007-08 Board of Directors.
HERITAGE MUSIC SLATE LOOKS GREAT
Racing Days weekend offers local residents and visitors a lot of musical treats.
Two downtown venues will be in place in Cenotaph Square and in front of the stagecoach house at the museum.
You will hear everything from punk pop to jazz to old English to cowboy poetry. There is Celtic music, blues, country rock, sailor's songs, and oldtime rock from the 1950's.
Bernice and Theresa Niadrok will do a performance of throat singing, Inuit style.
Don Gilbert will entertain with American folk songs.
You will see local performers you will recognize, but you will also see performers who have come just for the fun of being part of the Sounds of Our Heritage Music Festival organized by Ed Muckle.
None of these performers are being paid. They are generously donating their time and talents so all of us can enjoy our biggest celebration.
There will be bands playing dance music at both venues, so if you cannot keep your feet still, then you can kick up your heels on the asphalt, as the street will be blocked off in some places.
The goal of the weekend is to get out and have fun.
Take the kids and the old folks and your lawn chairs, and have a great time.
