Elkford will be celebrating its belated 50th anniversary in July in conjunction with the first Wildcat Days in two years.
Technically it will be the town’s 51st birthday, but due to COVID-19, celebrations could not take place in 2021. Wildcat Days has also been out of commission since 2020.
According to Mayor Dean McKerracher, this is the first time the town anniversary celebration and Wildcat Days are being held together. He suggested they‘ll have double the fireworks to make up for missing last year.
“It’s time for our citizens to get together and have a great event. I think they’ll be looking forward to a great party.”
According to a Facebook post from the District of Elkford, the family-friendly festivities will run from July 1 to 3.
The events will include: fireworks, a parade, a dignitary luncheon, beer gardens and an outdoor music festival, a family ball tournament, a show n’ shine, a grass smash volleyball tournament, a pancake breakfast, fire trucks, a Devonian concession, an art show, a silent auction, food trucks, a craft fair, gold panning, and more.
McKerracher said there were also discussions taking place about a possible ‘special event’ just for the 50th anniversary.
According to the district post, the town was originally incorporated as the Village of Elkford on July 16, 1971.
McKerracher has been living in Elkford for about the same amount of time, having moved there in 1972.
“It’s a wonderful community, that’s why we’re here still.”
He recalled in the early days that they had a little gas station, a post office, a little grocery store, a little rec centre, and trailers for the residents. Much more has been built in the years since, and McKerracher has had a hand in that process since the beginning.
“This whole community’s in my blood, and all the work that we’ve done over the years,” McKerracher said.
Speaking to the growth and change in Elkford since its incorporation, he said: “We’ve become more progressive. And over the years we’ve started to develop new ways to do business in the community, to work as a community. In energy efficiencies and economics, trying to do better with the money that we have and transition over from the old ways to the new ways.”
McKerracher mentioned several more new aspects of the town, and pointed to young staff, volunteers, and a slowly increasing population.
“We’re moving forward,” he said.
“I’m just excited that were going to finally hold (the event). You know, it was pretty disappointing, we couldn’t hold it last year.”
“We’ll do a big bang up job on it.”
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