Kevin Berger – Leader Staff
If the weather proves to be co-operative, the hamlet of Fort Assiniboine is set to quadruple in population this weekend during the annual Fort Assiniboine Rodeo and Hamlet Hoedown, which takes place on Friday and Saturday, Aug. 16-17.
Woodlands County councillor Dale Kluin, who also sits on the organizing committee for the event, said they had more than 600 people out for the free breakfast at last year’s hoedown. Considering Fort Assiniboine only has 150 or so residents, that means the population basically multiples by four times.
The main draw, of course, is the rodeo performances taking place from 6 to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday at Walsh Park.
Participants in the Fort Assiniboine rodeo head to the hamlet right after competing in the rodeo at the Westlock and District Agricultural Fair, which happens the same weekend.
“It’s always worked for us to be the evening rodeo,” Kluin said.
Besides the rodeo and a drum circle from 7-10 p.m. that will be hosted by Dale Kiselyk, the other big event on Friday night is the fireworks show around 10 p.m. right at the edge of the rodeo grounds.
Some say this show is one of the biggest such displays you’ll find in a small community like Fort Assiniboine. Kluin said the echo can be heard throughout the valley.
“Usually every dog in town is shivering,” he joked.
Provided there isn’t a late evening downpour that’ll force the show to be scuttled, Kluin indicated they’re planning to have an even bigger fireworks show than usual this year, extending the usual performance by about 15-20 minutes.
The following morning is the pancake breakfast taking place at the local arena from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m.
Right after that is the parade at 10:30 a.m. Kluin encouraged Barrhead businesses not to take apart their floats right after Blue Heron Fair Days and instead bring them down to the Fort Assiniboine parade.
He noted they have lost a few of the businesses that would have put floats in the parade, such as the now-defunct Trident Exploration.
This year’s theme is “Bloomin’ Hoedown” (though that doesn’t necessarily have to mean blooming flowers). Judging will take place at 9:30 a.m., and no pre-registration is necessary.
After the parade, the Legion Hall and the Fort Assiniboine Museum open up for visitors, and the Hoedown Talent Showcase begins at the Walsh Park gazebo.
There will be a live auction of donated items at noon, the proceeds of which go towards the family-friendly activities in the afternoon.
For no charge, families can enjoy carnival games and inflatable bouncy castles in the Kids’ Korner, along with a dunk tank.
There will also be a weaving and spinning demo at the Curling Rink, beer gardens and lawnmower races at Walsh Park from 2-4 p.m.
Kluin noted there is a local group that puts on the lawnmower races, and they usually get 20 to 30 lawnmowers out for the event.
Before the rodeo, there will also be a family supper hosted at the Rec Centre from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Tickets are sold at the door.
It should be noted that on Sunday, Aug. 18, the hamlet also hosts the North Country Junior Rodeo finals at noon. There is no cost to attend this event.
Kluin said the North Country Junior Rodeo Association needed a place to host their championship finals, so they asked the hamlet if they could set up on their grounds following the regular rodeo.
The finals consist of events like goat tying, pole pending and team roping — there’s nothing as dangerous as bull riding going on. But it does feature a lot of “future cowboys and cowgirls” and it can be fun to watch, Kluin noted.
