Legal wins Big Valley Jamboree contest


Legal’s winning video submission to the Big Valley Jamboree Contest

By MorinvilleNews.com Staff

Legal – Big Valley Jamboree’s Small Town Saturday Night contest came to an end last Tuesday night with the announcement Legal was the contest winner. The announcement was made at the Travel Alberta Growing Rural Tourism Awards Dinner in Camrose and the community of 1,200 was represented with 13 in attendance.

One of those in attendance was Councillor Phil Hughes who said anticipation was high leading up to the big announcement. “Everybody was itching and biting at the bit to find out,” Hughes said. They were constantly texting us that day, the day before, the week before. Then when we finally found out it went viral. The whole town knew within seconds pretty much due to the media.”

Legal’s video submission, one of 53, was selected as one of 10 finalists in the competition Mar. 6. The community made the cut when the field of finalists was narrowed down to five at the end of online voting Mar. 20. Legal residents together with those of Bashaw, Bonnyville, Devon and High River had to wait until Apr. 3 to find out if they were the overall winner.

The prize for that winning entry will provide Legal with a country music concert Apr. 28 and $5,000 towards a community cause.

“The whole town is so behind us right now,” Hughes said. “you are getting so many people that are talking about it right now and getting ready for it. That’s the scary part of it is the big event now.”

Hughes said the event will consist of four artists who will do an artist’s circle during the day and a concert in the evening. The councillor said tickets will be sold to the evening event with proceeds going towards the community’s cause, adding to monies raised by the Friends of Legal School for a much-needed playground restoration.

“For five or six years they’ve been working on this,” Hughes said, adding the 45,000 cash prize and ticket sales will greatly add to that fund. “Now it’s the bells and whistles for these guys.”

Hughes said none of it would be possible without a great deal of support. “The whole town – council, everybody is absolutely ecstatic about this,” Hughes said. The councillor, who was at the Morinville and district Chamber of Commerce luncheon Apr. 4 also extended his thanks to Morinville residents for their support in voting for Legal. Final numbers were within just more than 700 votes in Legal’s favour.

A community initiative

The idea to put together a video entry for the town was brought to Jeannie Charrois by Legal Town Manager Robert Proux last Christmas. A committee was formed in early January and brainstorming began on just what form the video would take at that time.

The video soon evolved into a music video showcasing the town and centred on a big red cup, an image borrowed from a Toby Keith country song about drinking and lyricized in a community and family-friendly way by Melanie Thibault. Local musician Keith Bennett sat down with the committee and his guitar and put together the music for the piece.

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3 Comments

  1. Congratulations to Legal, AB – winning community of the Big Valley Jamboree contest Small Town Saturday Night.

  2. Great job Legal couldn’t have happen tp a better town , Legal is a fun,loving community that is family oriented, that loves to have fun and they are a close net group, Congradulations Legal

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