Town celebrating big on Canada Day

Celebrating Canada Day is no quiet occasion for one of the smaller towns in the Foothills. More than 2,000 people flock to Erma Joy Brown Park beside the Oilfields Regional Arena in Black Diamond for its Canada Day and Music Fest, which features live music, food trucks, market vendors and children’s activities throughout the weekend. Music Fest kicks off June 30 at noon with live music, a beer garden, market, face painting and children’s carnival games, and continues Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with additional activities for Canada Day. Two audition sessions were held last spring to round up a range of musical talent for the festival in country, folk and pop genres. “This gives them some sort of outlet with the lack of availability of venues for new performers like this,” said Shelley Broadley, Black Diamond economic development and planning assistant. “Our area has quite a lot of great talent that just isn’t getting out there.” The line-up includes Taken By Sanity, Marcus Trummer Band, The Rae King Blues Band, Shannon Beck, Julia Roar, Chelsey Cherkas, Rob Kroeger, The Henchmen, Old School Jam Band, Apache Moon, Bandolier Brigade, Doc Mehl, Lorn Doiron, SNO, Sharon Hart, Paydirt, The Kobis, Tim Bercht, Darran Murphy and Chase Bosch. “There is a couple there that I expect to hear on major radios at some point, especially the younger bands like Taken by Sanity, Bandolier Brigade and SNO,” said Broadley. “These guys have a way to go to develop, but they have absolute potential.” Broadley anticipates the musical entertainment and abundance of activities taking place both days will draw thousands to the event again this year. “There were people who Googled things to do in the area and the Music Fest came up and we had people from all sorts of places drop by,” she said of last year. Broadley said the Town has added more bouncy houses and food trucks, and Hard Knox Brewery and the Royal Canadian Legion Turner Valley Branch will offer a variety of alcoholic beverages in the beer gardens. “We’re bringing in more activities so people have more to do when they’re out there,” she said. “Last year was great because there was people dancing and singing and hanging out together. Everybody sat down and enjoyed the music and had food and drink together.” Canada Day will bring more food and entertainment on Sunday including a pancake breakfast hosted by the Legion, the singing of O Canada by resident April Walsh, a performance by The Heat drummers and dancers from Eden Valley and a demonstration by the Calgary Roller Derby Association in the Scott Seaman Sports Rink. Kelly Tuck, special events co-ordinator, said the derby has created a lot of hype in the community. “There is chatter already about this,” she said. “People are excited. This is going to be fun to watch.” The music is also a popular component to the event for both spectators and performers, Tuck said. “This is a great opportunity,” she said. “You’re going to increase your base of families coming out and spending time together, which will have all of the artists being heard.” For Tuck, it’s always a special event. “It’s Canada’s birthday,” she said. “It’s the one day we, as Canadians, can say we’re proud to be Canadian and we want to spent time with our families and friends in our communities.” The festivities will close with a display of fireworks at dusk north of Tim Hortons. For more details about the event go to www.town.blackdiamond.ab.ca