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2nd Annual, 2009 - The Old Wives Lake Festival was a tremendous success! We kicked off the day with a pancake breakfast followed by a tour out to Old Wives Lake, where the Nature Area trails were officially opened.
At the Grand Opening Ceremony, Mayor Carl Weiss extended greetings to all who attended and to the Honoured Guests: MLA Yogi Huyghebaert, Chuck Lees (representing the Ministry of the Environment) and Shelley Hirstwood (former Mossbank Economic Development Officer).
Yogi Huyghebaert cut the ribbon to open the trails. Don Smith and André Bérubé conducted tours to the Lake throughout the day. Thank you to Prairie South School Division, who provided a bus to shuttle passengers to and from the Nature Area.
Ninety two year old Paul Wuschke enjoyed the tour to the Nature Area during the Festival in 2009.
In between tours, there were plenty of activities to keep festival goers busy in Mossbank! The Grad Club put on a BBQ lunch at the arena while there was a Silly Science demonstration and rocket launch by Dawn Alexis, magical feats performed by Roger Boucher, carnival games courtesy of the Mossbank Youth Centre, a beach volleyball tournament organized by Jan Craig, and much much more.
1st Annual, 2008 - The Old Wives Lake Festival commemorated and celebrated the historic first meeting in 1874 between the North West Mounted Police and a group of First Nations. The Festival was an exciting family event packed with many exciting activities for all ages, which celebrated the history and culture of the Old Wives Lake District in Saskatchewan, Canada.
Events included:
Aboriginal Storytelling
The oral history traditions are central aspects of the cultures of First Nations peoples. Preston LeCaine is a well-known storyteller, originally from the Wood Mountain First Nation, who is maintaining the oral traditions of his people. Preston will provide two storytelling programs each day of the Festival. He dresses in traditional storytelling garb and tells his stories outside of a tipi. His stories concern the history of the peoples of the Wood Mountain area (which is south of Mossbank), who played central roles in the important events of the 1870s and 1880s.
The NWMP Experience
Through this experience you will gain some idea of what is was like for the NWMP during the Great March West. You will travel in a horse drawn wagon on the bald prairie that still looks much as it did in 1874, where you will encounter Lt. Colonel James Macleod, one of the original Mounties. Macleod is third in command of the NWMP and one of its most respected members. He is heading south towards Wood Mountain on a provisioning mission, while the main force of the NWMP rest near Old Wives Lake. Macleod will provide first-hand descriptions his experiences on the Great March West and explain the mission he and the other first Mounties have been assigned.
The Art of Blacksmithing
Mossbank is the home of the Ambroz Blacksmith Shop Provincial Heritage Property. The property was owned and operated by Frank Ambroz, a blacksmith from Poland, and was one of the last-operating Blacksmith shops in Western Canada. Ambroz continued to work as a Blacksmith until he died in 1986. His Blacksmith Shop continues to be functional and contains original tools and materials of the Blacksmith trade. During the Festival, the forge will be fired up again as modern Blacksmiths provide demonstrations on the Art of Blacksmithing!
Artisan Display
The Old Wives Lake district is the home of many skilled craftspeople Visitors during the Festival will be able to view a wide variety of items such as quilts, photography, clothing, ceramics, wheat-weaving and much more. On August 2 only, there will also be a Farmers Market with fresh vegetables and fruits as well as home-made jams and baked goods.
Step Into History
The Old Wives Lake District is an area with stories that go back centuries, and all these stories have been lovingly preserved in the Mossbank and District Museum. History comes to life as your step into the Museum. First Nations artifacts found around Old Wives Lake by early pioneers attest to the ancient origins of many stories. A huge mural depicts the British Commonwealth Air Training Base as it looked outside of Mossbank in 1941. An airplane, designed and flown (illegally) by a local pilot hangs from the ceiling as a testament to his ingenuity and bravado. The past of the communities that surround Old Wives Lake are all fondly remembered through countless artifacts, each that contribute to the story of a region that has long stood at the crossroads of history.
Children’s Programming
Children’s programming will be an eventful afternoon filled with face painting, crafts, storytelling with Vincent Murphy, a petting zoo and so much more. This will be a day you don’t want to miss!
Commemoration Ceremony
A commemoration of the first meeting between the Sioux and the NWMP takes place on Saturday, August 2nd. The commemoration includes horseback riders attired in authentic 1874 Mountie uniforms as well as re-enactments of ceremonies that took place between the NWMP and Sioux.
Frontier Feast
After taking part in your many adventures, you will be famished, and, so, every day of the Festival there will be a Frontier Feast! Your Festival package includes a mouth-watering supper with a frontier flavour! Additional meals can be purchased for $ ? per person.
Concert and Street Dance
Featuring:
Cheryl and the Cornerstone Band, Acoustic Folk Band
Just Jammin', Local Folk Trio
Leanne Hynd, Saskatchewan Folk
Desperate for Haggis, Celtic Band
Megan Lynn Nash, Country Music
Tripmeter, Saskatchewan’s hottest new band, Winner of 2008 Roxy Band Warz
