By Dean LaBerge
The Swan Hills Chamber of Commerce kicked the day off with a delicious pancake breakfast. For a modest price, breakfast included pancakes, scrambled eggs, ham, sausage, fruit, and coffee or juice to drink.
Cooler-than-expected weather may have put a chill in the air, but it didn’t stop Swan Hills residents from turning out for the second annual Keyano Daze community fair on Saturday, September 12.
With the most important meal of the day taken care of, a live DJ, sponsored by Pembina Pipeline, kept the crowd pumped up as the fun shifted into full swing with a variety of activities, entertainment, and an outdoor market.
The petting zoo was a crowd favourite, with a large collection of cuddly animals, including a variety of exotic chickens, ducks, geese, bunnies, kittens, potbelly pigs, miniature goats with kids, sheep with lambs, alpacas, and a miniature highland cow with her calf. The friendly critters drew a steady stream of children, teens, and families from the moment the petting zoo’s gates opened until it was time to pack up for the day.
The kids were also thrilled to let loose and burn off some energy on a trio of bouncy houses. Close by, Swan Hills FRN (Family Resource Network) and FCSS (Family & Community Support Services) hosted a station with large bubble wands and balloons.
Roaming circus performers Demmi and Spandy Andy delighted the crowd with spontaneous performances, dance parties and “play shops,” keeping young spectators entranced as they shared some tricks of the trade, from spinning multiple plates on poles to dancing with ribbon wands and mastering the hula hoop.
Monty the Moose, the Mission Possible mascot, also made the rounds, greeting attendees, posing for pictures, and getting in a little dance or two.
Of course, no community fair would be complete without plenty of great food. Three food trucks kept attendees supplied with mini donuts, frozen yogurt, and Thai food during the day before the grills fired up for a free community barbecue at 4 p.m., sponsored by Super A Foods.
For those looking for a break from the outdoor festivities, the Swan Hills Community Club sponsored an afternoon bingo at the Keyano Centre.
As the daytime festivities wound down, Keyano Daze wasn’t finished yet. The celebration moved inside the Keyano Centre for an adults-only dance sponsored by Mission Possible, giving the grown-ups a chance to take over the dance floor and close out the second annual community fair.