Plans are well underway for this year’s annual Founders Day celebration in Greenwood. Janet Matsalla, vendor coordinator, said planning is going very well and is already ahead of last year’s. The celebration is put on by the Greenwood Board of Trade.
“Preparations for this year are actually ahead of schedule from the last two years,” said Matsalla. “We’ve got new vendors making enquiries. It’s going very well.”
The Founders Day event was started by Merlin Phelps in 1987 in honour of the 90th anniversary of the incorporation of Greenwood as a city. Founders Day 2016 will be taking place in Lion’s Park on Saturday, July 9.
“It’s a great celebration in honour of Greenwood and the founding of Greenwood,” said Matsalla. “It’s to celebrate the community. It’s a free event to get in and everyone is welcome.”
Matsalla said the event just keeps getting better and better. “Last year we had just over 1,200 people show up,” she said. “It was awesome. The weather was great. We had no complaints. The vendors were very pleased with the organization of the event. We actually sold out of food in the night time activities. This year we’re more than prepared for that.”
Matsalla said new this year will be a Movie in the Park under the stars. Matsalla said a movie hasn’t been selected but it will likely be a Disney movie. Movie in the Park will be put on with the help of the Boundary Regional Chamber of Commerce.
All the popular events will be back including music acts, vendor’s market, Metis First Nation, Kids park, beer garden, Yukon Dan and Miner’s Alley, door prizes, food vendors, and plenty more.
“Over the past couple of years we’ve had over 60 vendors each year,” said Matsalla. “We expect the same number and maybe more. We’ll have restaurants represented such as Bored Room Bistro, Pacific Grill, D.J.’s Doughnuts and Fries. Also on hand will be the Pie Lady, North Fork Pork and Poultry and much more. There will be lots of activities for the kids. The Boundary Mining Association has an exhibit where kids can gold pan. They have prizes for the kids. It was very busy last year. The mining association is also sponsoring Yukon Dan once again. He’s a celebrity in the mining industry. He tours schools throughout Canada and he’s been here the last two years.”
Once again headlining the music will be the Undercover Band, who will be playing at the outdoor family dance in the park. Kicking off the event will be a pancake breakfast put on by the Greenwood Volunteer Fire Department. They will also be putting on a lunch of fish and chips.
The Founders Day event starts at 8 a.m. and goes until the end of the movie in the park. There will be a parade down the main street starting at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday. The opening ceremony will be at noon with a cake cutting and speeches expected from MLA Linda Larson, Vicki Gee, RDKB Area E/West Boundary director and Mayor Ed Smith. On Sunday there will be an inter-denominational church service in the park.
“We want to thank Signs49, the City of Greenwood and McMynns for their help,” said Matsalla. “We’ve got a good volunteer base as well but we can always use more volunteers. If anyone is interested in volunteering or becoming a vendor they can call me at 250-445-6133 or by email at vendor@foundersday.ca.”
