There will be so much to do and see at the 4 Directions Festival in Williams Lake on Canada Day that organizers are encouraging people to bring their own chairs along.
While chairs and tables will be provided for many of the activities, Kate Lines Williams Lake Central Business Improvement Area Association executive director says people may want to bring their own chair so they can sit and relax anywhere they like throughout the festival.
Four downtown city blocks will be closed to motor vehicles for the festival which runs from 12 noon until 9 p.m. Saturday, July 1.
Having a chair will allow people to sit anywhere to watch the entertainment, art demonstrations, live music, and games such as lehal and street ball hockey or just enjoy everyone’s favourite pastime, people watching, Lines says.
For visitors who want to get from one activity to another quickly, Lines says people use their skateboards, roller blades, bikes and trikes, and of course their shoes.
“Why not decorate yourself and your self-propelling tool?” Lines encourages. “We can’t wait to see everyone having fun moving around in a whole new way!”
The 4 Directions Festival is a time for all people, all races, all ages, and all walks of life to come together to celebrate.
The festival is divided into four zones of vehicle-free activities: Oliver Street from Third Avenue to Mackenzie Avenue: First Avenue from Yorston Street to Borland Street; Second Avenue from Yorston Street to Oliver Street, and Third Avenue from Yorston Street to Borland Street.
The festival will have three stages with music and entertainment. There will be dozens and dozens of activities for children and youth.
There will be activities all up and down Oliver Street, including Yee-Haw Yoga activities from 2 to 7 p.m. in a cool setting and a live performance stage in Spirit Square from noon to 5 p.m.
On Oliver Street children will be able to paint rocks in the Pink Room or dig for geodes at the Woodland Jewellers display.
Down on First Avenue South there will be a Fabulous Kidz Zone full of games and prizes and face painting with all proceeds going to the Sea Cadets who will be helping out with the events.
The Williams Lake Brownies will also be there selling freezies and cookies to raise funds for their future adventures.
Right from noon to 9 p.m. on First Avenue North there will be scheduled ball hockey games for youth.
Three exhibition games will be staggered throughout the day with prizes to be won.
Over at the Potato House activities run from noon to 9 p.m. at the corner of Borland Street and First Avenue with children’s games of croquet and badminton and a sandbox, mini-mural painting; and live music under tents from 5 to 9 p.m. with Scott Dunbar entertaining in the beer garden.
In the parking lot beside the Potato House Robert and Bettina Johnson of Esk’et Tiny House will have their Esk’et Spyu7 camping cabin on display.
There will also be lots going on in Spirit Square and the FirstAvenue/Oliver Street corner with live entertainment from noon to 5 p.m.; the Williams Lake fire truck and dunk tank will be there from noon to 6 p.m.
From noon to 5 p.m. the Cariboo Metis Association will have a bouncy castle set up on the corner of First and Oliver along with craft activities and a food booth.
The Cariboo Community Church will celebrate their new home at 35 Oliver Street with food, music and cultural activities.
Third Avenue between Oliver Street and Yorston Street will be filled with multicultural activities.
There will be a Makers Market from noon to 5 p.m. featuring more than 30 artisans and artists.
The Multicultural Village runs from noon to 3 p.m. under a series of tents and welcomes Secwepemc master storytellers Irene and Jerry Charley featured alongside master carver Charles Joseph to lead a live community arts installation co-created with Culture Corner volunteers from First Nations, North and East Africa, Latin America, and South/East Asia, says event co-ordinator Meera Shah.
“All are welcome to share and learn something new in a setting of friendship and respect,” said Shah, multi-cultural co-ordinator with the Canadian Mental Health Association Cariboo Chilcotin Branch.
She said bamboo poles and sarongs are available if anyone from the Philippine community who knows it would be willing to join and demonstrate the lively folk dance Tininkling.
The Four Directions Lounge will be located in front of the Cariboo Friendship Centre from noon to 9 p.m. featuring a cool place to rest with Lehal and First Nations Bingo games.
The bingo games are scheduled for 3 p.m., 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Between 2 and 2:30 p.m. Francis Johnson Sr. will be teaching hoop dancing.
From noon to 5 p.m. the community is also invited to help lakecity mural artist Dwayne Davis paint a pit house scene on the Cariboo Friendship Society building.
Second Avenue between Oliver Street and Yorston Street will feature an RC car racing oval from noon to 4 p.m.; chalk art activities, face painting, a cool zone with a large TV screen, board and video games, and rocket launcher games (noon to 4 p.m. with $5,000 in prizes to be won).
From noon to 6 p.m. there will also be football and gymnastics demonstrations.
The Cariboo Art Society will also have tents and tables set up from noon to 4 p.m. where people can sit and let their creativity flow; art supplies provided.
Second Avenue at Oliver Street is also the location of a live performance stage to enjoy music and dance from noon to 9 p.m.
Throughout the festival businesses will be open and spilling out onto the festival streets with food and great sales. Some businesses will also be donating all or a portion of their sales to local charities.
For instance on Third Avenue North Praying Mantis will have three local tattoo artists offering a variety of airbrush Canada Day tattoos with proceeds going to the Shriner’s Hospital Transportation Fund for sick children, and to a local family caring or their sick child.
They will also have cotton candy.
Shriners clowns will be on site to bring laughter and lighthearted fun to the festival.