It may have arrived a little late, but summer could finally be here in St. Albert – and just in the nick of time, with the long weekend already upon us.
We hope we're not jinxing things by saying so, but the sun is shining (intermittently), the skies are blue (well, parts of them, at least) and the long weekend lineup will have you out and about all weekend long.
If, like us, you're sick of being trapped indoors by bad weather and thunderstorms, this is your chance to work off that cabin fever with some summer festivals. And hey, if it rains a bit while you're at it, what's a little dampness in pursuit of a great weekend? Let's just hope those black clouds stay far, far away.
If you're looking to stuff your face, the Rotary Club of St. Albert's RibFest promises meat sweats for the whole family all weekend long at Lions Park, with a full daily entertainment lineup to help you get through the resulting food coma. You'll see some familiar faces up on the stage, such as St. Albert's Hannah Adamson and Taylor Hambly – so you know it's going to be a great show.
There's free day parking at various locations in the downtown core, including at St. Albert Place and on Tache Street, and evening/weekend parking as well. And if you're worried about your kids getting bored, there's plenty for them to do aside from chowing down: face painting, crafts and entertainment are just some of the attractions for St. Albert's younglings.
You get the added benefit of doing a good deed for the Rotary Club while you're at it: the event, which runs until the end of the day on Aug. 5, is raising money for causes the club supports.
And if you decide you need a break today from all the good food, there's probably still time to hop on over to the St. Albert Farmers Market, which is open until 3 p.m. today just down the street from Lions Park.
Food and music seem to be the theme of August Long across the capital region. If Edmonton's more your scene, the Edmonton Heritage Festival might be right up your alley. The three-day event celebrating multiculturalism features delicious food and great performances touting the cultures of other countries.
If you'd rather sit back and take in some good tunes, Stony Plain has you covered with its annual Blueberry Bluegrass Festival – the biggest of its kind in Canada, running until Sunday. And while the music may be the main draw, that festival features its fair share of tasty treats as well.
But if none of those really do it for you, there's plenty more to see and do in and around St. Albert this weekend – just flip a few pages to Page 18 to find something that tickles your fancy.
So go out, gorge on grub and enjoy the St. Albert sunshine while you can. After all, who knows what the next week might bring?
