COLD LAKE - The 2024 Feast at the Beach festival, held on Aug. 30 and 31 at Kinosoo Beach in Cold Lake, brought together thousands of attendees for a weekend filled with food, music, and family fun.
On Saturday, the sun shone brightly, creating the ideal backdrop for the festival's second day. Families, friends, and visitors from across Alberta gathered to enjoy the variety of activities and entertainment that Feast at the Beach had to offer.
“Considering we had a slow start yesterday with some rain, it's turned out really well today," said Sherri Buckle, Executive Director of the Cold Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce, the organization that hosted the event.
"We had people lined up before we even opened up some of the areas, so the beach is packed and lots of people around, the food trucks are full, and we're really happy so far with the attendance,” added Buckle.
According to information from Feast at the Beach organizers, the festival was envisioned by an ambitious board of directors as a family-friendly, community-focused event to celebrate the end of summer. Kinosoo Beach serves as an ideal location, welcoming around 10,000 visitors throughout the weekend.
The event featured food trucks from across Alberta, offering delicious treats for attendees to savor, whether they relaxed on the beach or enjoyed the lively atmosphere of the beer gardens.
The Kid Zone was a highlight for families. It opened at 11 a.m. and provided hours of entertainment.
“We've got a big pyrotechnics show for the kids,” Buckle explained. “There's bouncy castles and fishponds and all kinds of fun things going on over there.”
The main stage featured a lineup of performances throughout the day, including acts by Three Hat Circus, Travis Doulter, Garrett Gregory, and Aaron Goodvin. The evening concluded with a fireworks display.
Buckle also spoke about the festival's evolution and the Chamber's approach to organizing such a large-scale event.
“We maintain the status quo, but what has changed is we don't try to control every aspect of this event. So, what we do is, from a volunteer perspective, we put team leads in,” she said. “And we just have the most amazing group of volunteers that come out, many who have been here year after year, some with no affiliation to our Chamber. They just love the event and the idea behind it, which goes back to family and community.”
The impact of Feast at the Beach extends beyond just a fun weekend. It has become a significant event for the Cold Lake community, bringing people together and boosting local tourism.
“Honestly, seeing the community come together and just being able to deliver this free family event to our community really is a thank-you for supporting our business community,” Buckle noted. “It brings people together and brings that cohesiveness to the community. The other aspect of it is that with a lot of the acts that we bring in, they have a following, so that also brings new people to our community and we can showcase what a great place Cold Lake is.”
Buckle expressed pride and joy in the success of the event, saying, “This was a dream. This was something we talked about for a lot of years, and when we did the inaugural event in 2019. I'm not going to lie, there was probably a couple of proud tears and moments where we just kind of looked around and said, ‘We did this’.”
