The weather promises to be mellow and temperate. Volunteers are pumped and all the entertainment, activities and food vendors are in place. Fête au Village is a go!
The Legal family fest, taking place July 26 to 28, is one of the longest standing festivals in Alberta. Renowned for its Sunday demolition derby, the three-day event is packed with mural tours, magic shows, an outdoor family dance, a cabaret, axe throws, a hot air balloon ride, soapbox derby and food trucks.
“We’re trying to stay focused on our roots. This is the 57th year and we want to show how we’ve evolved,” said Carol Tremblay, festival director-at-large.
The Friday night kickoff is a family fun night starting at 7 p.m. with free hot dogs, ice cream and popcorn. Every year about 100 children dress up and join in the Mini Kids Parade to the Citadel Grounds where they can enjoy a magic show, an outdoor dance, face painting and balloon twisting before the 11 p.m. explosion of fireworks.
The only Friday night entertainment that is targeted exclusively for the 16-plus crowd are three escape rooms: a treasure run, a hell house and an abduction. Andy Beaton, festival vice-president and a man of many talents, writes the storyline and decorates the escape rooms.
“He sets up clues. You have 25 minutes to get out. When you get out, there’s a picture taken with a sign that says you passed or failed. It’s all for fun,” said Tremblay. She added the escape rooms are open Friday from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
“The demolition derby is pretty hard to beat, but this is one of the more popular events. This year we’re pre-booking one-hour slots,” Tremblay explained noting that escape rooms are $25 for a group. Prebook online at feteauvillage.com.
Saturday is once again a day that celebrates family fun showcasing inflatables, axe competitions, face painting, clowns, a six-pony carousel, a scavenger hunt, and if weather permits, a Remax Hot Air Balloon Ride.
“Last year we were actually able to fly the balloon. Any slight breeze and you can’t go up. Last year there wasn’t enough airtime for everyone. This year we hope to have a nice soothing day. There’s a cost to this one. It’s $5 per person.”
The annual soapbox derby, started seven years ago, keeps gaining momentum. Kids buy standard kits from the festival to keep everyone on the same playing field, said Tremblay. However, racers are free to decorate a kit car to their taste.
“We start uphill at Citadel Centre and run downhill to the arena. We keep it safe and fun.”
While it may seem odd to incorporate electronics into an unplugged outdoor festival, organizers have also brought in iPlay Game Theatre for social media fans.
“It’s a travelling video game show. They roll in with a 40-foot trailer and there’s wall-to-wall entertainment with video games.”
While Friday night brings family together, Saturday night is adult-focused with an 18-plus cabaret, live music and a DJ. The Ramifications, a five-piece, high-energy pop, rock, funk and soul band get the party rockin’ at 7:30 p.m. in Legal Arena. Tickets are $15 advance, available on the website, and $20 at the door.
The weekend highlight is the Morinville Bumper to Bumper Demolition Derby. Gates open at 11 a.m., however visitors start forming lineups at 9:30 a.m., said Tremblay.
“We encourage people to come early. We can only seat about 2,500 to 3,000 in our bleachers,” Tremblay said.
Typically the festival attracts close to 6,000 visitors over three days.
“Fête au Village was always based on community, and we’re fortunate to have such a strong community of volunteers. We want to show off our community. Sometimes small towns are hidden gems. That’s what we are – a hidden gem.”
For a complete list of events vist feteauvillage.com.
