Time to party in Baker
Community pumped for second annual Festival by the Lake
Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Wednesday, August 24, 2016
BAKER LAKE
The community of Baker Lake is revving up for a rollicking good time with the second annual Festival by the Lake set to get underway this week.
Children's entertainer Mr. Mark (Cameron), right, shown with Joshua Shingoose during the first Festival by the Lake in 2015, returns to this year's event with performances on the afternoons of Aug. 27 and 28 in Baker Lake. - NNSL file photo |
The fun begins with a special warm-up performance by Yellowknife hip-hop artist Godson (Aaron Hernandez) this evening, Aug. 24, before the festival officially kicks off on Aug. 25 and runs until Sunday, Aug. 28.
The hot-air balloon will be making its return to the festival this week, as will children's entertainer Mr. Mark (Cameron), who was a huge hit with Baker's younger set during the 2015 festival.
The internationally acclaimed Street Circus (Dan and Kimberly Craig) have also been booked to perform at this year's Festival by the Lake.
The act combines the best aspects of a modern circus and street performing to produce a heart-pounding spectacle for children of all ages.
The Craigs have more than 30 years of combined worldwide performance experience, and have appeared at some of the world's top entertainment festivals and busker carnivals.
Organizer Karen Yip said the festival offers something for everyone this year, and will also include a dragon castle and slide, traditional and modern fashion show, RCMP bike races, face painting and tattoos, pie-eating contest, celebrity softball game, community feast, barbecue and square dance, fireworks display, and community dance and concert performances by the Midnight News classic rock band from Rankin Inlet.
She said there will also be some well-known children's fantasy characters out and about the community interacting with children of all ages.
"We learned from our efforts during the first festival, and this year's event promises to be even bigger and better," said Yip.
"The festival is mainly for the kids, but we have something to offer for everyone, and we're happy to have a band from our own region playing a dance and giving a concert performance.
"This started out as Agnico Eagle's family fun days in the community, and then sort of transformed into the Festival by the Lake.
"The festival is now a hamlet event done in partnership with Agnico Eagle.
"They (Agnico Eagle) wanted the hamlet to take responsibility of the festival, so it could do what it thought was best for the community, rather than Agnico Eagle doing what it thought the community wanted."
