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Lacombe Culture Harvest Festival runs Sept. 23-25 at the Lacombe Ag grounds

A full slate of activities and events are planned throughout the weekend

Featuring a slate of activities celebrating agriculture, music, the arts and community, the Lacombe Culture & Harvest Festival is set to run Sept. 23-25 at the Lacombe Ag grounds.

“We have almost everything set - all of the performances, the activities, the artists, and the market called ‘Life of a Marketeer’ - it’s all ready,” said Viridiana Blignaut, marketing coordinator with Lacombe Regional Tourism.

“We are excited,” she said, adding that the planning committee has been working hard to iron out the details of the entire weekend.

The Ag grounds are also the ideal place to host the event, she said, adding that it helps to bring the ag components of the weekend to the forefront as well. The hope is also that visitors will walk away with a better understanding of how aspects of culture and agriculture meld together, she said.

Meanwhile, things kick off on Friday evening with a Line Dancing Workshop from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.with the County Pride Dance Club.

A barn dance follows with the Dean Ray Band.

On Saturday, the 24th, there are lots of things to check out including the ‘Life of a Marketeer’ market which showcases several local artisans throughout the day.

“Artists will be creating works right on site - showing how it’s done,” said Blignaut.

From 10 to 10:30 a.m. folks can check out Indigenous Drummer and Dancers by the Pow Wow Times and from 11 to 11:30 a.m. Celtic dancers from the Knock O’Hogan School of Irish Dance will be performing.

From noon to 12:30 p.m. there will be Egyptian dance by Okama Ekpe Brook and also at noon there will be a duck herding demonstration (another demo runs at 2 p.m.)

Metis fiddler Colten Bear performs from 1:30 to 2:45 p.m.

Wrapping up the day’s tunes will be Lacombe’s own Flashback Freddy from 3 to 4 p.m.

Sunday’s highlights include the ‘Life of the Marketeer’ market which again runs through the day.

Flashback Freddy performs again from 10 to 10:45 a.m. and there will also be wagon rides provided by 24-2 Draft Horses from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

A duck herding demonstration is set for noon, and then from 1 to 1:30 p.m. there will be a Taekwondo demo by Red Deer’s Taekwondo Master Seoungmin Rim and his students.

Colten Bear performs from 2 to 2:45 p.m. and a threshing demonstration will also be held at 2 p.m.

An additional duck herding demonstration goes from 3:30 to 4 p.m. as well and another performance by Celtic dancers from Knock O’Hogan School of Irish Dance goes from 3:30 to 4 p.m.

Local blacksmith Henrietta Verwey will also be providing demonstrations of her fascinating trade over the weekend.

On a personal note, Blignaut said the planning experience has shown her much about the overall kindness of the Lacombe community.

“I really appreciate that.”

In past years, events for the Lacombe Culture & Harvest Festival were spread around the Lacombe area – but starting last year, all the activities were held at the Ag Grounds, said Austin Weaver, executive director at the Lacombe Regional Tourism Association.

“We are feeling really positive about the event,” he said. “We’ve had lots of vendors come onboard, and we’ve had nothing but positive (feedback) from the community. I’m excited and looking forward to seeing how it goes!”

For updates, check out Lacombe Tourism online at www.lacombetourism.com or follow them on their social media platforms.



Mark Weber

About the Author: Mark Weber

I've been a part of the Black Press Media family for about a dozen years now, with stints at the Red Deer Express, the Stettler Independent, and now the Lacombe Express.
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