Editor:
The inaugural winter festival in Fort St. James was a big hit!
Despite the cold weather many devoted winter-lovers turned out to participate in the Caledonia Classic Sled Dog Races and the District of Fort St. James Winterfest on Saturday March 1. This was the biggest day of Winterfest and we were thrilled to share it with so many residents and visitors.
We even had Naomi Yamamoto, Minister of Jobs and Skills Training race along-side Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation John Rustad, MLA Mike Morris, Councilors Pat Crook of Mackenzie and Wayne Sam of Nak’azdli and of course our very own Mayor MacDougall.
We had the pleasure to host award-winning snow carver Aaron Grant who engaged volunteers of all ages to work together to create carvings that are unique and meaningful for the communities of Nak’azdli and Fort St. James to enjoy.
If you have not had the chance to see them yet, drop in to Cottonwood Park. These carvings showcase the winter landscape of Stuart Lake and foster a sense of community pride in our northern characteristics. Grant also did a workshop at David Hoy Elementary and there are sculptures there to be seen as well.
The festival also featured a week of events and activities throughout the town of Fort St. James that supported arts, culture, tradition and recreation between the weekends of the Caledonia Classic.
Without the support of volunteers and the interest of the community, these winter activities would be buried beneath the snow drifts so we would like to extend a profound thank you to all of our partners and sponsors involved in hosting events and coming up with ideas.
We could also not have run this event without the time and effort dedicated by everyone in public works who deserve a very special thank you for their support.
Thank you to everyone who braved the wind and the cold to experience what winter in Fort St. James has to offer. We hope to see you all at WinterFest 2015!
District of Fort St. James Staff