Active Living Fair deemed a success

The Morinville Minstrels begin their set with the Friendship Song. The Minstrels were one of several community groups to put on live demonstrations during Morinville’s first Active Living Fair, held Saturday at the Morinville Parrish Hall. – Stephen Dafoe Photos.

By MorinvilleNews.com Staff

Morinville – The inaugural Active Living Fair wrapped up at the Morinville Parrish Hall Saturday afternoon after four hours of offering the community a chance to see just what the community has to offer. Thirty-four local organizations, groups and businesses set up shop on the main floor and basement of the Parrish Hall to showcase what they have to offer Morinville residents. Several groups even took to the stage, demonstrating their skills at dance, song, theatre, karate and fitness.

Morinville’s Director of Community Services, Susan MacDonald, said she was pleased with the initial event. “We’re really pleased at the number of groups that participated,” she said. “That’s awesome for our first try at it. We look forward to it becoming an annual event and becoming well established in the community.”

Kyristi MacDonald of Dance Connections demonstrates some dance moves during one of the demonstrations.
The community services director felt the Active Living Fair air was particularly beneficial to those new to the community. “For new people coming into Morinville, it’s a great opportunity to learn about what’s going on in our community,” MacDonald said. “It speaks well of the community, our sense of community spirit, and offerings of different things we have here in the community. It’s only going to get bigger and better.”

In addition to offering a venue for residents of Morinville to see many of the town’s community groups in one location, MacDonald said the Active Living Fair provided an excellent opportunity for the community groups to talk to one another.

“It provides us – as community groups – a chance to network amongst each other and find out what everybody else is up to,” MacDonald said, adding the fair allowed the groups an opportunity to share information and resources.”


But there was more to the Active Living Fair than a gathering of community groups. The fair also played host to an equipment swap where people could buy, sell, trade or donate good used sporting equipment. A number of residents were able to keep their old gear out of a landfill and keep it working on the ice for another season.

Although many residents benefited from the swap, there were some items left over at the conclusion of the fair. Tyler Edworthy, who manned Saturday’s equipment swap, said he will be looking for a home within Morinville for the items left over from the event.

MorinvilleNews.com was one of the 34 groups participating in the Active Living Fair with a booth.