PAGC Winter Festival

PAGC talent show is a toe-tapping good time

Feb 19, 2019 | 4:14 PM

An event held Monday night at Senator Allen Bird Memorial Gym proved age is but a number.

A talent show was held for ages 55 and older as part of the Prince Albert Grand Council (PAGC) Winter Festival. The competitions included a laughing contest, a singing contest and a jigging contest. Clarence Badger who is originally from Sturgeon Lake, but now lives at Wollaston Lake, has been dancing over 30 years.

“I used to watch people square dance, waltz and jig, and that’s how I learned it,” he said.

Clarence Badger was among the contestants in the men’s portion of the jigging contest. (Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff)

PAGC Vice-Chief Chris Jobb attended the event and also got up and sang with the band. He said the festival is a great way to bring back the first nations’ culture and traditions.

“We don’t want our young ones to forget and what we are trying to do here is bring people together, especially the elders, so we can learn from one another,” he said.

The laughing contest helped put a smile on everyone’s face. (Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff)

In his remarks to the crowd, Jobb mentioned some of the communities had been through a lot of hardship, through the loss of loved ones, so the festival was a way to help people feel good about something again.

“At the end of the day we are all here for the common good of the people, to love and care for one another,” he said.

Earlier in the weekend a pancake breakfast was held as well as a fish fry.This week’s activities will include a neck-bone eating contest as well as a youth talent show. Jobb said he was quite proud to see how many people came out for the first year of the event, and promised next year would be bigger and better.

PAGC Vice Chief Chris Jobb had the whole crowd clapping when he took the mic and showed off his talent (Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff)

Photo: (Nigel Maxwell/paNOW Staff)

nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell

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