BY RYAN WELLICOME
Lacombe Express
Lacombe Days are just around the corner (July 21st-24th) and with the addition of new activities and a few changes, this year’s festivities promise to bring an interesting twist.
Locavore, a new addition to the lineup, is a food festival that brings local food producers and professional chefs together to create dishes for festival-goers and foodies alike.
Lacombe Days Committee Chairman Chris Ross hopes to help promote Lacombe’s local agriculture and organizations with the new addition. “As a committee our first goal is really to promote our community,” said Ross. “It provides an economic benefit for people to see (our) community and expose it.”
Locavore provides a format similar to Taste Alberta where professional chefs use locally produced food to create dishes and drinks to be sampled by guests. The term Locavore is a neologism meaning a person who is interested in eating locally produced foods.
Locavore runs on Saturday, July 23rd from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on the front lawn of the Lacombe Memorial Centre (LMC) and tickets can be purchased at the Mary C. Moore Library, Rangeland Meats, Cilantro & Chive and the Blindman Brewery or at www.lacombedays.ca.
The festivities also boast a new parade route this year in order to accommodate the needs of the LMC’s numerous events.
The route begins at the parade marshalling area, just north of James S. McCormick School, and makes its way to Main Street.
Once on Main Street, it winds around the LMC via 51 St., 52 Ave. and 53 St.
It then makes its way back to the parade marshalling area via C&E Trail.
The parade runs on Saturday at 9:30 a.m. and a map of the route can be found on www.lacombedays.ca.
The festivities kick off with a pancake breakfast at the Alberta Agriculture and Forestry, Field Crop Development Centre with pancake breakfasts and various barbecues everyday through to Sunday.
History buffs will be pleased with free museum tours at the Blacksmith Shop, Flatiron and Michener museums, including a walking tour of the history of Lacombe.
This year there is an emphasis on all-ages and family activities with multiple scavenger hunts, crafts, inflatable play areas and an old-fashioned penny carnival.
“We want to organize community, family, and children friendly activities,” said Ross. “It’s always challenging to accommodate all and all-ages but we do our very best.”
The Lacombe Days Slo-pitch tourney makes its return beginning July 22nd and includes a beer garden (Friday through Saturday) to keep the adult crowd happy.
Less participatory activities include live entertainment such as Lunch Box Theatre, musical performances, a movie in the park on Friday and a fireworks display Saturday night.
There will also be tethered hot air balloon rides running from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday for those with an inclination for flying high. Also, for those botanists in the crowd, the Lacombe & District Garden Club is holding the Rose and Lily Show at the LMC.
For more information regarding events and sponsorship or to contact the committee, go to www.lacombedays.ca.
news@lacombeexpress.com