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Bringing ’em out at North Country Fair
Mac Olsen
for Spotlight
The North Country
Fair had it all, from reggae
to Country music
and family entertainment,
drawing approximately
4,000 people as
well as many bands and
merchants.
Held at the Lesser
Slave Lake North Country
Community Association’s
land southwest of
Driftpile First Nation
June 18-20, artistic director
Carol Weatherall
is pleased with turnout.
“It’s a family-oriented
event,” says Weatherall.
“There’s a great variety
of music that many
people may not be able
to experience otherwise.
Every festival is different
and this one provides
a different feel
from city festivals.”
She also says having
camping facilities draws
more people. The event
is timed for the summer
solstice, the longest day
of the year, which is
June 21.
Performances were
held at four venues – the
Main Stage, The Firefly,
The Reed and Shady
Grove. The bands included
Metrognome;
Don’t Fear the Creek,
Dear; Forget the Night;
Lace & Whiskey; Come
on Down off the Stove,
Granny; and Gotta Wear
Shades. Some performances
lasted until after
3 a.m.
Many of the family
events were held at The
Reed, including Captain
Thunderpants who provided
stand-up comedy.
Corrine McKell offered
lessons in Irish dancing,
performing the Beginner’s
Reel, a single jib
and Trouble Reels with
her audience.
She also danced a jig
with “Rotten Rod
Runny” the Leprechaun.
The Aurora Sisters
also performed, a belly
dance group from High
Prairie. Among the performances,
instructor
Connie Sabo and
Shirene Napier performed
the Battle of the
Bellies Dance and
Amanda LaPointe performed
a tribal dance.
Napier and her mother,
Deidre O’Dell, also performed
a wing duet. It
ended with the dancers
inviting the audience to
join them for a group
dance.
The fair was a very
positive experience for
Colleen Griebel and her
family.
“This is a really remarkable
cultural experience,”
she says. “We’re
really lucky this is so
close to home.”
Along merchant row
were the food vendors,
clothing and jewellery
merchants, as well as
massage therapists and
holistic medicine providers.
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The Aurora Sisters featured two foreign exchange students who belly danced
in the North Country Fair. Left-right are Adele Poincare, dance instructor Connie
Sabo and Tanja Buchholz. |
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Children were encouraged to join the Peace Love Project as they played.
Left-right are Keegan Jessiman, Caitlin Ashford and Quinn Ashford, who enjoy
playing an oversized xylophone. |
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Corrine McKell, centre, and her daughter, five-year-old Layla McKell, lead an
Irish tap dance lesson with Kellie Menard on the lef |
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Don’t Fear the Creek, Dear performed on the main stage June 19, including
“Bourbon and Rose Water” for the finale. Above, left-right, are members, John
Showman, Andrew Collins and Brian Kobayakawa |
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Joanne Myrol, right, and her daughter, Haley Myrol, perform “Sweet Dreams of
You” on the Main Stage June 19. |
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The Aurora Sisters, a belly dance group from High Prairie, performed at The Reed stage June 19. Above
are mother-daughter duo, Deidre O’Dell and Shirene Napier, who performed a wing duet. |
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Alyssa Pretty, right, painted many children’s faces,
including five-year-old Amelia Lambert’s face. Face
painting was one of the many activities children enjoyed
at The Reed stage. |
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Lothar the Magician, right, presents a balloon animal
to six-year-old Melody Crewe. Standing behind
them is six-year-old Cora Turner, who also received
one. |
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