Legal’s got their big Fête au Village on this weekend and it’s an event I’ve always liked to go to. Of course it is an event I used to go to in my younger days and stay for two or three days. Now I just go for the parade, show and shine and the demolition derby. Here’s a few of my thoughts on the Fête au Village, the Frontier Daze and some of the other festivals what goes on around here.
1 What’s the difference between Fête au Village and St. Jean Baptiste Festival. None! Both have been reborn through the spirit of the community and the involvement of hundreds of hard working volunteers. We’re seeing that with other festivals too like the one the public school parents have put on for three years now.
2 Both Legal and Morinville’s big festivals have stayed true to the principles of Father Primeau – have the community put on a show and community celebration locally rather than sending them off to the exhibition in Edmonton. Of course I see lots of pictures on the Facebook that show people still need to go to the K Days or whatever they’re calling it now. Think it’s the mini donuts.
3 Legal has kept their Demo Derby going and provided a place for Morinville and Legal people to run into each other with no lawyer suggesting that the five-mile-an-hour crash needs a $50,000 law suit. I’m more excited than a pig in a mud pit that they’re going to be smashing and crashing trucks this year.
4 The train the mayor drives in Legal is loads of fun, especially seeing him pull all the politicians in the cars behind them throwing candy. I hear Redwater’s got themselves a fancy fire truck to drive in the parades for the same purpose. What’s Morinville got? A bunch of politicians walking the parade route and one of them pushing a shopping cart. I think Morinville ought to dig in its pockets and come up with something like Legal and Redwater. Maybe something with a hemi engine in it or maybe a bunch of little motor cars like the Shriner’s drive around in.
5 Head north to Legal this weekend and enjoy crashing cars, a great parade, good food, fine music and finer people. Make sure you say “Bonjour, mes amis” when you get there! And if you don’t get enough of French heritage on Saturday, you can come watch all the cyclists in Morinville on Sunday at the Tour de l’Alberta.
