July 13, 2009 | Tips from Travellers >
Fort St. John, Festivals & Events
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Being a Canadian resident for all my life, I have never had the opportunity to experience a Canada Day parade. When I found out that the City of Fort St. John has a parade each year on this special day, my body was roaring with excitement. What would this parade entail??? The only parade I have ever experienced in the past was followed by Santa riding a sleigh.
The parade was everything I had hoped for and more. The pride exhibited by the numerous individuals who came out on a cold, rainy day to watch the parade absolutely amazed me. There were residents of all ages waving Canadian flags with excitement. Children and adults had Canadian flags tattooed to their faces and most people wore red and white.
The floats were all very well done. Several exhibited different cultures which I really enjoyed as it reinforced the fact that our country is one big salad bowl. I felt sorry for some of the dancers who danced their way through the parade shoeless in the rain; however they continued to smile and enjoy themselves. I think it was wonderful that there were several live animals, mainly horses, marching as well, which made the event even more festive.
The parade was followed by several booths of activities. I have been told that usually the events are outside however due to the poor weather, they were forced to be in the arena. It didn’t faze the individuals, as they continued to enjoy themselves. There was tons of food, live music, and an enormous Canadian flag made entirely of cupcakes, which, of course, was my favourite part! All in all, the day was an enormous success. I definitely enjoyed my first ever Canada Day Parade!
July 02, 2009 | Tips from Travellers >
Fort St. John, Dining
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Yee Haw!!! My first country experience was certainly a most memorable one. Being from a large city, I have always associated country dancing with doing a couple of steps to Cotton Eyed Joe, so when several fine gentlemen cowboys asked me to “two-step”, I was completely baffled. What is this “two-step”? Will I completely embarrass myself if I attempt this dance? It wasn’t until a friend of mine pulled me onto the dance floor, at New Frontier in Fort St John, and insisted on teaching me how it was done, that I immediately excelled at this new dance. Well, maybe not excelled, but I certainly did a lot better than I had ever imagined.
After the dancing, I got the opportunity to meet some real cowboys. I had no idea that real cowboys even existed, so you can imagine my excitement. I finally had an epiphany and although I had travelled the world and currently resided in Toronto, I had lived a very sheltered life. I went from believing that cowboys merely existed in those old western films to actually grasping that they are, in fact, real. The New Frontier is a great place for a fun night out and, for a tourist such as myself, it provides a brand new experience.
The festive music, live band, and affordable beverages provided for a great night. When my feet got too tired from the ample two-stepping, there was always a place to sit. This nightclub is additionally a great place to go if you are the type of individual who wants to sit back, relax, and have a drink. The dancing isn’t necessary but is always a great form of entertainment. Earlier in the night, the New Frontier offers a variety of food items on their menu and functions as a bar and grill. It is located at 10320-100th Avenue. I will most certainly be returning there in the near future to have another great experience!