People who aren’t taking in the rodeo Saturday will still have plenty to keep them entertained right downtown.
After taking in one of the three outdoor community breakfasts, settle in at one of the premier spots to watch Daybreak Rotary’s Stampede Parade with all of its many equine, floats, comical and musical entries.
Right after the Stampede Parade Saturday morning, from 10 a.m. to about noon, there will be all sorts of entertainment at the 16th annual Street Party on Oliver Street sponsored by the Williams Lake Central Business Improvement Area Association.
The street party runs from about noon (after the parade) to 4 p.m. and will have two stages featuring musical entertainment — one in Spirit Square at Oliver Street and First Avenue and the other in the WLCBIA parking lot at the corner of Third Avenue and Oliver Street.
All along Oliver Street between First Avenue and Fifth Avenue there will be vendors and activities for children including three huge bouncy toys, craft and game tables, face painting, a 4-H Club petting zoo, and even a go-cart track.
There will also be all kinds of vendors selling jewelry, beads, crafts, clothing, art work, and various types of food from fudge, pizza, Ukrainian food, to tube steaks and more.
The regular Saturday Farmer’s Market will be going ahead as usual in Herb Gardner Park. First Nations celebrations will take place in the Shoppers Drug parking lot.
Performers in Spirit Square will include Rosetta Paxton, who recently performed for the horse-drawn carriage rides and luncheon held at the Seniors Village, performing with her band Hwy 97, Perfect Match, Dynamic Downfall, and a special appearance by the Williams Lake Pipe Band.
Performers at the WLCBIA stage include Cariboo Idol finalists Mark Gilman and Oren Barter, Amber Bowen and a belly dance group.
Performers from the Potato House play will also be doing some travelling skits to promote their play which is on stage Saturday evening at the Potato House on First Avenue starting at 7 p.m.
In the afternoons Friday, Saturday and Sunday the Williams Lake Rotary Club will be putting on outdoor steak-out barbecue dinners in Lake City Ford’s back parking lot from 4:30 to 8 p.m. Friday and 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Start your morning off with breakfast at one of the outdoor community breakfasts put on by the Rotary Club in the Lake City Ford back parking lot 7 to 11 a.m. Friday through Monday.
Friday through Monday the Knights of Columbus pancake breakfasts run 7 to 11:30 a.m. in the Save-On-Foods parking lot.
Saturday night the entertainment continues with the band Savage West in the Let R’ Buck Saloon behind the Stampede Grandstand and the band Appaloosa performs at the Barn Dance in the Curling Rink.
Appaloosa and Savage West also join forces to provide the dancing entertainment in the Let R’ Buck Saloon on Friday and Sunday nights.
One way to get a close up view of the animal athletes participating in the rodeo is to take in the animal athlete tours offered behind the bucking chutes on Sunday and Monday mornings starting at 9 a.m.