The annual Old Wives Lake Festival in Mossbank, just under an hour drive south of Moose Jaw, packs all of the area’s history and attractions into one weekend for festival-goers to enjoy.
This year’s event will be on July 19 - 21, with the majority of events scheduled for the 20th — for anyone unable to attend only one day of the Festival, the 20th is likely the best day to pick.
The weekend will kick off on July 19, with a golf tournament hosted by the Mossbank Golf Club and a barbecue hosted by Hickseed Ltd.
Continuing on July 20, the Justinsane Barbie Car Club Show n’ Shine will take over Main Street with a pancake breakfast at 9am and an impressive showing of hot rods to follow.
The Farmer’s Market will also take place that day, featuring 40 vendors both local and out-of-town, axe-throwing from Regina, and a number of children's activities — such as bouncy castles, face painting, and the mobile video gaming trailer from Curbside Games.
The Old Wives Lake Watershed Association will be hosting children’s activities and education sessions about the birdwatching in the area, and the Bird Sanctuary has viewing stations to catch a glimpse of the many species that make their home at Old Wives Lake.
Mossbank & District Museum will have free bus tours through the local salt plant, the ghost town of Ardill, the old RCAF Bombing and Gunnery School from the 1940s, and the Old Wives Nature Area.
Folks can also witness the famous blacksmith demonstrations, which is really where the festival began: as Blacksmith Days, with a live blacksmith demonstration at Ambroz Blacksmith Shop, the only blacksmith in the province that remains on its original site with most of its original tools.
After a busy day, the evening will close out with a street dance, featuring live music by The Openers, a Saskatchewan band who specialize in all the favourite country and classic rock hits.
The beef on a bun buffet supper on July 20 will start at 6pm, and the Cowboy Breakfast at the Museum will open July 21 at 11-1pm. Both of these meals require advance tickets, which are available for purchase at Top Shelf Grocery, Bent Nail Cafe and the Town of Mossbank office.
The Old Wives Lake Festival remains free of any admission fees, other than the street dance and the golf tournament, and welcomes the whole family with a range of activities to suit any interest.
Organizer Christa Fortin finds the Festival to be a healthy mix of fun and history, all of which highlights what Mossbank and area has to offer.
“We try and cater to our area to what people enjoy doing,” said Christa. “It's an all ages thing, it's not geared toward any one specific interest. We have something for everyone.”
More information about the vendors and the weekend’s schedule can be found on the festival’s Facebook page.
