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Big changes for Sam Steele Days
FIRST MAJOR CHANGE
The Sam Steele Days Central Fairgrounds, including all the events that took place on near by streets, will all be found at BALMENT PARK, south side of Western Financial Place this year beginning Friday, June 16 at 4 p.m., Saturday, June 17 at 11 a.m. and Sunday, June 18 at 9 a.m. All the popular events that required blocking off downtown streets, such as the Strongman Classic, the Logger Sports Show and Weiner Dog Races, will be at Balment Park, just a few streets over from where they used to be.
“The new location will provide improvements to event connectivity, access and safety,” states Sam Steele Society Chair, Christy Wheeldon.
SECOND MAJOR CHANGE
The Sam Steele Days Parade (pictured above) will be in REVERSE this year beginning at the Kootenay St. N. and 2nd St. N. intersection. The procession will wind its way down Baker St., 8th Ave. and 1st St., ending for dispersal on 14th Ave. N. across from Baker Park.
TWO MAJOR CONCERTS
The Sam Steele Society, volunteer festival committee, will present Smash Mouth on Thursday, June 15 and Electric Steele EDM, Friday, June 16, both at Western Financial Place, through a partnership with the City of Cranbrook.
THURSDAY, JUNE 15 – As has been traditional for many years, Tamarack Centre will open the festival with a huge community pancake breakfast. There are a total of five registered events this day. More details HERE.
FRIDAY, JUNE 16 – New this year, the central fairgrounds at Balment Park will open at 4 p.m. with the festival beer gardens, a hot dog eating contest, a dramatic demonstration of Search & Rescue techniques and the wild and crazy Bed Races – a chance for everyone to get completely silly, until it wraps up just in time for everyone to catch the Electric Steele EDM concert in the arena. Learn more about the 15 registered events on Friday.
SATURDAY, JUNE 17 – The Sam Steele Days central fairgrounds at Balment Park will open with music, market, food and fun at 11 a.m. Plenty of public parking will be available in on the Victoria Ave. side of Western Financial Place for festival attendees after the parade. The parking lot entrance at 21st Ave. behind the Curling Centre, will be used by the many performers, booth operators, volunteers and special speakers at the festival’s central fairgrounds. The public is asked to enter from 2nd St. N.
The sidewalk chalk art competition that was held in front of the EK Credit Union, will now invite everyone to decorate a good portion of the sidewalk area surrounding the south side entrance of the rec plex. Motor traffic will no longer be an issue as the south parking lot of Western Financial Place will be sectioned off beginning Friday, June 16 to allow for the festival set up and events.
The WFP south parking lot will host the Taste of Cranbrook food court, Weiner Dog Races and the Arm Wrestling Championship. The Bocce Tournament and festival beer gardens will be fenced off at Balment Park, with the central fairgrounds activity booths, Sam Steele Market, giant inflatable bouncers and the spectacular two-day outdoor talent show filling all the remaining grassy space. 17th Ave. N., running along side the rec plex is the only street that will be blocked off all day Saturday for the Strongman competition and Logger Sports Show. The 32 registered festival events can be found HERE.
SUNDAY, JUNE 18 – The Sam Steele Days central fairgrounds, Balment Park, winds up the festival with more spectacular local performing artists on the outdoor stage, two free yoga sessions, a giant cardboard box maze, a medieval times demonstration and a petting zoo! Along with lots of free children’s games, this year the inflatable bouncers will stay for Sunday, which happens to be Father’s Day, too. Plus, the Sam Steele Days Car Show will begin at 10 a.m. at the Super Store. More details of the 15 registered events on Sunday can be found HERE.
OTHER FESTIVAL THINGS, AMAZING AND NEW
The central fairgrounds outdoor shows will be streaming live video online courtesy of Artistic Media productions (AMP) through the festival website www.samsteeledays.org Saturday and Sunday, to allow all of Canada to witness how Cranbrook celebrates Canada 150. The public is welcomed to participate in the creation of a giant mosaic art project overseen by Cranbrook Arts right next to the outdoor show. There will be an equipment rodeo at Finning, two incredible skateboard demonstrations featuring Paul Machnau and Magnus Hanson, a chance for anyone, child or adult, to try arm wrestling with guidance from the Kootenay Kings Club and an opportunity to test drive an electric hybrid car, right at the central fairgrounds.
MORE THAN EVER
More businesses and clubs will offer delicious outdoor breakfasts and barbecues during festival days than ever before. Ten different locations throughout the city from Thursday to Sunday will provide community meals cooked by staff or volunteers for public dining pleasure as a great way to get to know your neighbours, improve staff morale and display community pride to visitors!
Take advantage of FREE RIDES from all BC Transit buses and the Sam Steele Express evening shuttle on Saturday, June 17. All of this and much more, is the result of incredible community involvement and support from the City of Cranbrook, citizens, businesses, clubs and organizations who embrace the spirit of what this city-wide event brings to Cranbrook.
Sam Steele Days is Cranbrook’s time to shine, connect and to host.
Find more information about all festival events at www.samsteeledays.org
Sam Steele Society
