It was a great day for a community celebration and family fun in Vegreville!

Starting with an amazing pancake breakfast (proceeds raised went to the Food Bank) sponsored by the Town of Vegreville and the County of Minburn, attendees were treated all day to live music provided by Perogies and Jam and family fun activities at the Vegreville Social Centre.  There were Bouncy Houses, Face Painting and other activities for the children.  Lunch concession was provided by the Vegreville Transportation Services Society.  Jamieson Brown of Country 106.5 FM was “live” in the Foyer.

There were activities around Vegreville all day including Family Bowling, Hay Rides, Swimming, a hockey game, intergenerational floor curling at the Sunshine Club and Story Time at the Library.  There were over 300 in attendance at the Social Centre during the breakfast time and more came in and out during the day.

Starting off the musical performances was Debbie Fedoruk on piano and her student singers with songs “Ev’rybody Wants to Be a Cat” by Jessie Zeleny, “The James Bond Theme” on piano by Andrew Kirk, the “Sky Boat Song” by Jarden Bellamkonda, “A Whole New World” by Abigail Bellamkonda, “One Voice” by Maddi Doerksen, “The Climb” by Jessica Clough, “A Pirate Song” by Tristan Neil, and concluding with “Singin’ the Blues” by Debbie Fedoruk.

Kaley Martin accompanied by Dr. Beren Hollins on guitar performed a beautiful set of country and blues tunes, including “No one Needs to Know Right Now”, and “Jolene”.  Young Shade Clark with John Peters on guitar, played traditional fiddle tunes to delight the audience.  Shirley Preuss on Harmonica and Lorne Fill performed several folk songs including his original “Lost in Sunshine” and featured Shirley on “Soldiers Joy” and the “Irish Washer Woman”.

Over the lunch hour, the Off Ramp Boys (Randy Kereliuk, Rob Hughes and Gordon Forbes) kept the applause going.  Randy and Rob sang “Long Time Gone” as a duet, Gordon sang “The Good Old Hockey Game”, and Randy sang “Country Roads”, “Three Wooden Crosses”, “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” and many other songs.  The fourth ORB member, Ralph Lange was at an annual fiddle camp and wasn’t available.

Don Harfield along with Lorne Fill and Gordon Forbes did a set including “The Saskatchewan River Pirate”, “The Cat Came Back” and “The Streets of London”.  John Peters accompanied by Don Harfield finished off the afternoon with songs including “Farewell to Nova Scotia”, “Wild Rover” and the “Irish Rover”.  John is returning to Prince Edward Island after being part of the local music scene for the past three years and will be missed.

This was the fourth year for Perogies and Jam to host the musical performers on stage at the Social Centre.  Family Day in Vegreville has become a family tradition!  Thanks for coming out and joining in all the fun!

Much appreciation goes to the following contributors for this annual event:

• Town of Vegreville
• County of Minburn
• Vegreville & District FCSS
• Vegreville & Area Parent Link Center
• Vegreville Junior B Rangers
• Vegreville Centennial Library
• Rotary Club of Vegreville
• Kidsport Vegreville
• Vegreville Bowling Lanes
• Perogies & Jam
• VTSS
• The M.O.D.E.L. Project
• Vegreville Agricultural Society
• Senior Citizen’s Sunshine Club
• Valard Construction
• Community Volunteers

Photo Gallery
Photography Courtesy of Rob Hughes, Don Harfield, and Rhonda Clark