“Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin!” as the Rogers and Hammerstein song from the famous musical “Oklahoma” and it was that – beautiful all day.

Perogies and Jam volunteers were up bright and early along with street vendors setting up tents and getting ready for the third and last Vegreville street market for the summer season. By 9 am, recorded music was filling the air throughout the downtown core.

Country Sunshine (Pearl, Norm and Brian) started off the live music at 10 am, and their long time band name was particularly apt today as we were certainly blessed with their country music and loads of sunshine. Callina Kirk, one of Vegreville’s favourite fiddle players, pulled out the bow and again charmed her way into the hearts of fiddle music lovers and then with Ava, one of the Fiddlin’ Kiddlins entertained the growing crowd with fiddle tunes galore.

Don Harfield on guitar and Terry Jorden on keyboard then played popular ballads, concluding with the rousing “Those Were the Days”. The Off Ramp Boys (Randy, Ralph, and Rob – Gordon unable to be there was missed today), ever popular “tallest band” in Vegreville were in their usual fine form as they performed with guitar, upright bass, fiddle, mandolin and drums.

Bob Ashmead, a seasoned songster on guitar, shared the stage with young fiddler Shade Clark ; inter-mixing their set with classic ballads, heartfelt stories and popular fiddle tunes. Terry Jorden returned for a blend of original songs and familiar classics. Terry is an accomplished keyboard player from Sherwood Park and has been an important part of our local music scene for the past four years, so we were pleased to have him help us today celebrate the end of summer and the harvest season.

The Vegreville Transportation Services Society (VTSS) took the opportunity in the late afternoon to announce the winner of their 50/50 draw. The VTSS plays a vital role in providing local transportation for seniors and physically challenged individuals in our community.

Along with happy vendors, the Vegreville Visual Arts Group displayed their paintings in two locations – at the Rotary Park Gazebo and at the Vegreville Train Station. What an amazing group of talented painters we have in the Vegreville area! Don Harfield along with Rob Hughes and Ralph Lange concluded the afternoon with a few folk ballads as the sunshine continued to warm up the town to 27 ?C.

Perogies and Jam thank the Chamber of Commerce and the Town of Vegreville for continuing these important street markets for the past 5 years. This initiative has certainly been a significant summer attraction to bring many residents downtown on several Saturday afternoons. Good job everyone!

Photo Gallery
Photography courtesy of Rob Hughes