DEH GAH GOT'IE KOE/FORT PROVIDENCE - Fort Providence's annual summer celebration combined family, friends and good-natured competition for three days.

Surrounded by characters from the movie Shrek the Third, Brenda Matto stands in Berna Matto's float as the annual Mackenzie Days parade gets underway on Friday. The float tied for first place with the Mad Hatter's Tea Party float created by Shauna Clarke Canadien, Sabrina McLeod and Violet Bonnetrouge. - Roxanna Thompson/NNSL photo

Mackenzie Days took place from July 29 to 30 in the hamlet. The celebration included events for all age groups and some activities that encouraged family participation.

One of the perennially popular events, the annual parade, took place on Friday afternoon under blue skies. Floats, bicycles, strollers and ATVs were all decorated to the theme of nursery rhymes and fairy tales.

Belinda Sabourin won first place for her decorated ATV while Sadeedi Gargan, dressed as Little Red Riding Hood, took first in the bicycle division and Shannel Landry with a black sheep took second. The Little Miss Muffet stroller by Laura Sabourin won first place in that division followed by Michelle Landry, who turned her stroller into a large, yellow star.

For the floats first place came down to a tie between Shrek the Third by Berna Matto and The Mad Hatter's Tea Party by Shauna Clarke Canadien, Sabrina McLeod and Violet Bonnetrouge. Second place went to Bertha Landry for her gingerbread house while Trinette Farcy took third for the princess truck.

Another popular competition took place on the river as mixed adult pairs canoed from the ferry landing to the boat dock on Saturday.

Edwin Sabourin and Diana Gargan upheld their title for a second year in a row by finishing with a time of one hour and two minutes. Only two minutes behind was the team of Lawrence Denetre and Dora Nadli while Steven Farcy and Evelyn Constant came in third at one hour and seven minutes. Everyone stayed to cheer on the final team of Samuel and Alphonsine Gargan.

Other competitions throughout the weekend included the youth and adult talent shows, a handgames tournament and the teen and tween crowning. The celebration was organized by the Mackenzie Days Committee that included Loretta Landry, Kari Hergott, Trinette Farcy and Hilda Sabourin.