Okotoks is offering a reprieve to families running out of ideas and money for end-of-summer activities.
The Town is hosting a first-of-its-kind, family-friendly, free event called Pop Up in the Park featuring music, magic, acting, crafts, games and food in Cimarron Park Aug. 20 from noon until 3 p.m.
“We’ve got many festivals and events that happen in downtown, but here’s a great opportunity to have activities in other locations around town,” said Allan Boss, culture and heritage manager. “It’s going to be a really fun day for people to just come down, wander into the park and enjoy some fabulous entertainment. ”
Boss said the Town selected Cimarron Park, behind St. Mary’s School on Cimarron Drive, for its central location, accessible walking and biking trails, nearby school parking lot and natural amphitheatre.
The event will take place in another Okotoks park next year, he said.
“The idea with the whole Pop Up in the Park notion is that we create something that communities can own,” Boss said.
“Next year we are hoping to put in a process that individual communities can bid or enter a contest to be able to bring Pop Up in the Park to their local park so it can pop up in parks all around Okotoks. It’s about building community. It contributes to economic development and it builds social wellness.”
Boss said the Town received sponsorship from local organizations and businesses to host the event, which will include performances by local folk bands Kindred Summit and Forseth and Funk, Airdrie’s comedic magician Braden Pole and DeWinton’s Goodger-Pink Productions.
“People want to get out and hear music, see a play, take part in a festival, eat some great food and culture and heritage is all part of that,” said Boss.
Samantha Duff, creator of DeWinton’s Goodger-Pink Productions, said she’s thrilled to have been invited to be a part of it.
She said the timing is perfect with the end of summer approaching.
“It have a lot of friends who have children and that’s around the time they are struggling to find things to do with their kids,” she said.
“By the end of the summer lots of families spent a lot of money going to a lot of places that cost a lost of money. This is something local. They don’t even have to leave the town and it’s free.”
Duff said they will perform a repeat of Rumpelstiltskin Revised, a unique take on a classic fairy tale that was performed earlier this summer.
With each performance they put on the audience base grows, said Duff.
“We are honestly seeing every age range now,” she said. “We have three-year-olds sitting in the front row being engaged and entertained the entire time and we’ve even been starting to get some of the older kids asking how they can get involved.”
Duff said it’s hard to find a show that can entertain every age, but even parents were commenting that they couldn’t stop laughing at the British pantomime.
She said Rumpelstiltskin Revised will add to the afternoon of great entertainment.
“There is nothing better than a variety show,” she said. “Our mandate is financially accessible theatre and I’m really proud of the Town and everyone that’s been involved in this to make it a free event for families.”
Goodger-Pink Productions will also perform Rumpelstiltskin Revisited at 45 Drake Landing Drive on Aug. 21 at 2 p.m. Admission is by donation.
Donations will also be accepted at Pop Up in the Park for the Okotoks Family Resource Centre.
