“We tried to preserve the same welcoming and friendly feel that has been happening for years, while infusing some new elements that surely will not disappoint,” he said.
Friday night’s street party is always one of the most popular events during Stellarton Homecoming, and town recreation director Paul Corbin said this year the organizing committee has added something to make it an even bigger draw.
Along with the children’s parade, antique car show and live entertainment held on Foord Street, a food truck rally with five of the mobile vendors and a hot dog cart will be on site.
“The committee has worked very hard this year to introduce new things to this event and we are particularly excited about the food trucks that will be lined on Foord Street on Friday evening,” said Lawand, the chairperson of the organizing committee. “Food truck events are happening all across the province and the country and are attracting huge crowds, and ultimately that is our goal – to attract more and more people to our beautiful town and to grow this event year after year.”
Corbin noted that as of Wednesday the weather forecast for Friday wasn’t looking good. In the case of inclement weather, the children’s parade will be moved inside to the Stellarton Memorial Rink, but the car show and entertainment would have to be cancelled. “We’ll make the call early in the day,” he said.
Stellarton Homecoming, which was first organized during the town’s centennial year in 1989, starts on Wednesday with a full slate of both new and returning events and activities.
The five-day festival begins with a coffee party at First Presbyterian Church at 10 a.m., and the return of Family Fun Day activities at the Albion Field with bouncy houses and a water slide.
Other Wednesday activities include ice cream at Poulain’s PharmaChoice, which is accepting donations for Ronald McDonald House, and a garden party at Allan Park from 7 to 9 p.m. featuring Old School.
Thursday’s events include a 20th anniversary barbecue at Medical Hall, a seniors lunch at the RCAF Association, a golf tournament at Abercrombie Golf and Country Club, a Firemen’s Competition at 6 p.m. at the Sobeys Soccer Complex and a trivia night at 8:30 p.m. at the RCAF Association.
On Friday Christ Anglican Church will host a coffee party at 10 a.m., Pharmacy First will hold a strawberry social, a children’s parade takes place on Foord Street at 6:30 p.m., coinciding with a street party from 6:30 until 9 p.m with live entertainment, food trucks and an antique car show. A preteen dance will also take place at the youth centre from 7:30 to 9 p.m.
Saturday starts with a pancake breakfast at the Stellarton Fire Hall, a yard sale at First Presbyterian Church, a washer toss tournament at the horseshoe pits, a pork chop barbecue, the 20th year reunion for Stellarton High School, a dance and beer garden at the Stellarton Memorial Rink featuring False Pretence, and Mike and the MacPhersons.
Homecoming wraps up on Sunday with a cemetery mass at Lourdes, a horseshoe tournament at the Foster Avenue Horseshoe Beds, an ecumenical church service at Sharon St. John United Church, and a free concert with Big Fish at the Sobeys Soccer Field from 8 to 10 p.m., followed by fireworks at dusk. New this year is an afternoon dog show at the Sobeys Sports Complex.
Two baseball tournaments will take place during the Homecoming festivities – the Pictou County Molson Albions Intermediate and the Chris Bonvie Memorial.
For a full schedule of events and times, see www.stellarton.ca.
