February in Prince Albert and area has been traditionally a very active month for public participation in many colourful events that take place both indoors and outdoors.

Much of this historic activity centres around one of Prince Albert’s best known events – the Winter Festival. 

This year, bearing in mind public health safety, our Festival will take on a very different look. There will be  restricted public access; many events will be online.

But our hard working volunteer Festival committee, along with its avid supporters, continues to work hard to preserve the impact of the Festival upon our community. 

(Check media updates for what is planned.)

As we prepare for this year’s unique Festival, it might be fun to look back 50 years – February, 1971 – to catch some of the flavour of those days, helping us to realize how important the Festival was and still is, even in these demanding times.

So let’s go back and see what happened.

Attendance at that 1971 Festival was at an all time high, leaving Chairperson Bruce Rice smiling and predicting that financial deficit problems of previous years would soon be overcome.

June Strube was named Winter Festival Queen. The Rt. Hon. John George Diefenbaker participated by presenting the Cec Corrigal trophy to Miss Strube. Bernice Laliberte was 1st princess and Marjorie Flodell 2nd princess.

The Diamond Dollies (Lindsay Watson, Bev Whitter, Marg Pidhaichuk, Jane Parrot, Donna Thompson, Jean Fisher Carol Apps, Maureen Goodman, and Ann Haydon)  can canned their way to standing ovations at the Dog and Sled Show, presided over by Diamond Lou (Doreen Peachey).

The Teen Parade of Talent with local stars (Betty Jean Bird, Debbie Zelensky, Connie Nastiuk, Stella Girard and Linda Reid) along with performers, such as the Marcotte family, from surrounding towns drew a big crowd. 

A local group, The Roving Guitars led by Jim Munro, cut a record that was distributed far and wide. It served to attract many out of town folks, where they joined the crowds at the Festival sites, eager to see what all the fuss was about.

The Prince Albert Community Players presented a hilarious farce, “Friends and Neighbours,” starring local actors – Henry Goliath, Edna Eastwood, Bernard McCaffery, and Bud Peachey.

Local elementary schools and high schools created Ice Sculptures, such as ‘Dinny’ the 18 foot high dinosaur, done by an enthusiastic team of Riverside Collegiate students. ‘Dinny’ went on to win the high school first prize. While Prince Charles School’s entry topped the elementary school competition.

Mona Walters’ husky dog sculpture won the under 12 competition.

Another Ice Sculpture entitled ‘P.A.’s Rocket and Launch Pad’ depicting a space rocket ready for blastoff, created by 10 year old Gordon Maxwell, drew much attention.

The Boy Scouts hosted unique chuck wagon races on the river ice. The wagons were pulled by hard working skaters.

A huge Festival Choir, under the direction of conductor Glenn Goodman, highlighted an evening of superb music at St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church. Every seat was filled.

George Piston of Prince Albert was declared the best fiddler at the hotly contested Winter Festival Fiddle Contest. John Kushneryk was a very close 2nd.

The Dog Derby remained the biggest attraction at the Festival. John Calvert of The Pas won the main event. It was Calvert’s 5th consecutive win. Ricky Sinclair of Macdowal claimed 2nd place. Teddy Slater (nee McDougald) of Christopher Lake, the only female contender, had a strong showing. ( Teddy went on to place 3rd in two consecutive years at the Dog Races in The Pas, Manitoba.)  

In the shorter dog races in Prince Albert, Peter Krist won the ‘One Dog- One Mile’ race, and Keith Umpherville won the ‘Two Dog- Two Mile’ race.

Jim Carriere of Cumberland House was declared King Trapper.

As you can see the 1971 Prince Albert Winter Festival was one big show – leaving us with many, many positive memories. 

A big thank you to our present Winter Festival Committee as they work towards that same goal. 

This year, the Prince Albert Historical Museum will provide a display of items and pictures from past Winter Festivals that will bring those memories back to life. Be sure to go see it.