Get your dancing shoes and sun hats ready: the Magnificent River Rats Festival kicks off on June 30 at Athabasca’s riverfront and runs until the evening of July 1.
Kids will be the first to start celebrating. On June 30, the Kids Zone will operate from 1 p.m. ‘til 5 p.m.
The gates to the festival open at 5 p.m. with the kick-off band, Unwed Mothers, taking the stage at 6 p.m.
At 7:30 p.m., Tupelo Honey will play. At 9 p.m., Big Sugar ends the night.
Fireworks are scheduled for dusk.
July 1 kicks off with a pancake breakfast at 7:30 a.m., and the day is full of events. The parade and the show and shine fill the morning.
A Canada Day ceremony is being organized by the Royal Canadian Legion Athabasca #103 branch. The 230 Athabasca Royal Canadian Air Cadets will present the colour party and dignitaries are scheduled to speak.
The Canada Day opening ceremony at noon and festival closing ceremony, scheduled for 8:30 p.m., are new this year, said Magnificent River Rats president Duane Fitzsimmons.
According to closing ceremony organizer Ida Edwards, the closing ceremonies will involve wrap-up remarks from the executive of the festival.
“It’ll be a nice bow on top,” Edwards said.
Leeland Blanchet, Treble Busters, SwingCats Ochestra, Brandid, Tenille and Maritime Kitchen Party will round out Canada Day with different genres of music. Local performers will entertain in the early afternoon.
For the full program, see the River Rats Guide included with this week’s Athabasca Advocate. And for coverage of the festival itself, check back here at www.athabascaadvocate.com.
