The theme of this year’s Community Days parade was We are the North and for the four-day celebrations that’s exactly what visitors saw everywhere they went.
Blind River residents and visitors enjoyed some great weather and fantastic events during the Community Days celebrations.
It may have started out on Thursday with some uncertain weather, but ended out on Sunday with hot, humid weather and good crowds attending the different events.
Residents, former residents, families and visitors to the community took in everything from the start-off day at Thursday’s teddy bear picnic at the Timber Village Museum, to Friday’s Demolition Derby, Saturday’s parade and Sunday’s car show.
It was during Saturday’s parade that visitors got a better look at what it means to live in the area that residents and former residents already know.
Some fog drifted off Lake Huron over Blind River in the morning and looked like it might not dissipate by the time Saturday’s parade started by 12:30 p.m., but the fog held off for the parade to make its way, through downtown and to WC Eaket Secondary School.
Although solid attendance figures are not available because the field events did not require an admission charge, an estimated 1,500 people attended.
According to one of the vendors who has sold hand-crafted jewlery at the event in the past three years, this year’s crowd was more than anticipated.
The high school field was used by crafts people and artists showing and selling their wares, businesses giving out information about services they provide, a nail-driving competition put on by the local Rotary Club and events hosted by other local service clubs, a variety of foods, a beer garden and music and midway rides and games. There was even a wall-climbing event put on by Blackrock Climbers.
Performing concerts on the Saturday were Chanelle Albert and Easy Company, Phantom Atlantic, and Taw Connors.
Sunday’s car show along the town’s business area also proved successful with a strong attendance of people checking out the vintage cars and trucks and more modern vehicles. Entertaining the crowds was the band Flathead Ford with golden oldies from the rock and roll era.
Overall, despite the humid weather, organizers report events were well attended over the four days of Community Days.