ASHMONT - The show must go on! At least this is how Dale Hedrick feels about Ashmont’s annual summer fair and so when the Ashmont Agricultural Society made the decision not to host its annual community event this year, he picked up the ball and Ashmont Days took flight.
Local resident and County of St. Paul Div. 5 councillor, Hedrick told Lakeland Today the community is more than ready for a party after the endless months of pandemic shutdown and that is exactly what he is planning on serving up, beginning with a pancake breakfast at 9 a.m. Aug. 14.
With a helping hand from a few other locals who also didn’t want to see the summer slip by without a community-wide event to bring area residents and neighbours together again, Hedrick says he’s pulled together what promises to be an old-fashioned social that keeps rural communities like Ashmont alive.
“I said ‘ok, we’ve got to do something for the town and bring people to town.’ It brings everyone together,” he said, adding there are a number of lake subdivisions around the area. “So, something like this, like the Ashmont Heritage Days, is the only time really when everybody gets to talk to other people from the surrounding areas and from the lakes as well.”
The Ashmont Fire Department will be flipping the pancakes again as they have done for years at the fire hall. There’s no charge. The crew will also have information available on the FireSmart program through the County, with suggestions on ways people can reduce fire hazard on their property. Given the extremely dry conditions throughout Alberta, it’s information everyone can use, Hedrick said.
Following breakfast, a parade will get underway at 11 a.m. Anyone interested in joining the fun can do so just by showing up at the north end of Main Street.
“Whatever you want to put in the parade, you bring.”
Rick Webster is working alongside Hedrick in organizing a car show, also on Main Street, running from 11:30 to 4 p.m.
“He’s been a car enthusiast for years and years building hot rods, so he’s pretty happy to be involved and help out with that. And I’m happy to have him help out,” Hedrick said, adding registration is simple - “If it has wheels and you want to show it off – bring it.”
What’s a car show without a burn-out competition? Dull, according to Hedrick, so that’s on the schedule, too, beginning at 4:30 p.m. sponsored by Mallaig Tire and Elk Point Tire.
“Whoever can turn the most smoke off their tires,” is a simple but accurate description of this event. It’s up to the audience to decide the winner on this one, Hedrick said, adding participants wanting to burn a little rubber, or a lot in this case, can just show up and sign a waiver – “Well, yeah, I’m not responsible for their tires.”
If you need more, then there’s live entertainment from noon to 8 p.m. at The Den.
“I think it will be pretty good. There’s a lot of local people coming out to play and a few different types of music as well.”
All in all, he’s feeling pretty good about the day’s line-up and invites people of all ages to Ashmont to share in the fun.
