LAC LA BICHE - It was an exciting evening of food, fun and hilarious circus-style entertainment for the large group of people gathered at McArthur Park on July 30 for the annual Carnival in the Park event.
Carnival in the Park-which ran from 4:30-7:30 p.m., was part of Flyin’ Bob’s Circus Camp, which ran from July 29 - Aug. 1 and is put on annually by Calgary-based showman Bob Palmer, a.k.a. Flyin’ Bob.
This year, roughly 16 of the local kids who attended the circus camp showed off the skills they had learned with performances in front of the crowd. These were followed by a magic show and then a hilarious, every energetic performance by Flyin’ Bob.
In addition to circus performances and the magic show, Carnival in the Park also featured a free meal, bouncy castles, kids’ games, face painting, and live musical entertainment.
During the camp, a group of local youngsters were taught a variety of circus skills by the veteran performer, including stilt walking, juggling balls, bottles and rings, rola bola (also known as a balance board or wobble board), barrel walking, magic skills, and tightrope walking.
On Aug. 1, the young circus students presented what they had learned to their families and friends during the final performance of the circus camp - a show that featured curtains, a backdrop, and choreography.
For Palmer, his camp to teach kids the finer points of circus performing enables him to pass on his knowledge to the younger generation.
“Doing circus skills and performing has brought me great joy, and at some point, if your body and brain is full of knowledge, you get a thrill out of passing that knowledge on,” he told Lakeland Today.
Youngsters who attend Flyin’ Bob’s Circus Camp, not only benefit from having the opportunity to try new things, but they also gain confidence. Most importantly, they have a lot of fun.
“Luckily, circus skills are really fun,” he said.
Amanda Cheyne, young families program supervisor for Lac La Biche County Family FCSS, said Carnival in the Park is a much-anticipated event that sees hundreds of County residents come out for a night of fun, food, and fellowship.
“We know that being connected and creating memories helps build healthy people. Spending time with your family, friends, and others in your community can help improve your mental well-being and we want to give families and our community the opportunity to do just that,” Cheyne said.