The 17th Annual South Cariboo Garlic Festival is looking – and smelling – like another great family event in Lac la Hache.
It takes place Aug. 27-28 at the Felker Homestead site just north of the community off Highway 97, where flaggers will direct folks looking for it, as well as interested passers-by, to the parking
area.
Festival co-ordinator Jeanette McCrea says this year will feature most of the past favourite activities for all ages and some new ones.
"It's a family fun event. There is [vendor] stuff there for everybody, and even if you don't want to buy, there's still stuff there for you.
"We have lots of garlic, and lots of [fresh] vegetables there this year, too. There are a bunch of new vendors, so everybody should definitely check out the website [at www.garlicfestival.ca]."
Adult admission is $5, and free for children 12 years and under, and the admission fee covers both days. Hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday (Aug. 27), and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Sunday (Aug. 28).
Plenty of food – garlicky or not – will be available from breakfast onward, with a covered log shelter to enjoy meals in full view of the stage, McCrea adds.
For children, there's a First Nations hoop dance (on Saturday), a bouncy castle (on Sunday), and a $2 draw ticket gives the chance (1,500 limited tickets for sale) for a lucky child to win a seven-inch Samsung tablet.
The Kid zone this year will also have a cool "kiddie pool," a sandbox, Lego, cartoon colouring, bubbles, cotton candy and popcorn to keep the younger ones happy.
Entertainment, as always, has a great lineup, McCrea says.
They include the Cariboo-raised talents of Jason Ruscheinsky, Rising Star winner (first place) at the 2016 Kamloops Cowboy Festival; and other local entertainers, including country singer Tammylynn Filgate appearing with Peter Thorne.
The lineup includes Steve Elliott's fabulous Elvis Elite show; Quesnel-based singer John Robert Goodwin, winner of multiple B.C. Country Music Association major awards; folk-pop musician Joal Kamps, Western Canadian Music Album of the Year Award winner (2012); and Eloise Hobi, a nine-year-old Lac la Hache resident.
Multiple Cariboo Festival gold medal winner (2015 and 2016), Hobi will appear with Elliot for a special duet of the Elvis' Can't Help Falling in Love, on Saturday.
The popular Sunday morning church service begins at 9:30 a.m., and will again include Elliott's Elvis in a gospel performance.
(See the entertainment schedule online at www.garlicfestival.ca/ent.html for more information and performance times.)
Please don't bring your dog, as pets are not allowed on the festival grounds, she notes.
McCrea says Garlina will once again be easily spotted in the crowd, and readily available for "photo ops."
