Summer Events ~ PowWow ~ Downtown Merchant Market ~ Farmers Market ~ Wakeboarding ~ Highland Games ~ Hot Nites Car Show

We love Kamloops for many reasons and now that summer is officially over, I will show you some of those reasons.  We are a very diversified city with multi interests and there are events for all those interests.

Kamloopa PowWow 2010, Kamloops, BC

The Kamloopa Pow Wow is a celebration of the First Nations Culture and Heritage. It is an annual event held on the August long weekend at the Pow Wow Grounds on KIB just off the Yellowhead Highway at Shuswap Road.
It is one of the largest in Western Canada and has competitions in drumming, costumes and dancing. There are also many artisans there who offer native crafts and jewelry for sale. It is a great celebration where you can spend the day enjoying the entertainment. Concessions are there to grab a lunch or dinner at so you can spend the day. Enjoy more of the PowWow by clicking here.

Downtown Merchant Market, Kamloops, BC

The Kamloops Downtown Merchant Market in July is a great showing of the spirit of the downtown core, the heart of our city.  There is lots of participation by the merchants and sales galore.  You will see and hear live music daily, as well as magicians and Chris the Clown is a favorite with the kids.  The Daily News has some great pictures taken at the Market this year.

Wakeboarding Competition 2010, Kamloops, BC

The annual Wakeboarding competition Wake2Wakefest, draws many competitors to the beach and spectators, too.  There were over 60 competitors this year and I am sure with the success and enjoyment for the family entertainment, it will grow to be even bigger next year.  Watch their webpage for news on next years competition.

Riverside Park, Kamloops, BC

We have the wonderful Riverside Park and Thompson River and it is great to see it enjoyed by many with events such as this. There have been many years that we didn’t have a water show such as this and yet with a perfect venue, I wondered why.

Riverside Park, Waterskiing competition, Kamloops, 1967

In July 1967, we were enjoying a different kind of show down at Riverside Park on the Thompson River.  The park has changed a bit and the styles were different back then, but some things don’t change, we enjoyed the entertainment, they just didn’t have the wakeboard competitions happening yet !

Highland Games, Kamloops, BC

If you enjoy Highland dancing and the music of the bagpipes, you cannot miss the Kamloops Highland Games held here in July. The Games also include world championsin dancing and piping. The clan tents offer help to those interested in family geneology and history information. For more information, clik here.

Farmers Market, Kamloops, BC

The Kamloops Farmers Market has been around for many years and has become a tradition to many.  The garden fresh fruits and veggies as well as plants, bakery goods and all kinds of crafts are available twice a week during the season.  See more and learn more here.

Hot Nites in the City, Kamloops, BC

This great car and truck show is another tradition that has been around for awhile and doesn’t appear to be leaving soon. It has grown to be a big show, even though it isn’t held at night! Now that is another story, learn more about Hot Nites on my blog page.

This is just a sampling of some of the Summer Events that Kamloops has to offer. We’d have to be able to be in more than one place at a time if we were to see everything that there is. This will take a few summers, but that means there are more great things to look forward to. Just more reasons why we love Kamloops, there’s no place like home.

Farmers Market ~ Stuart Wood ~ Victoria St. ~ Northshore ~ Kamloops, BC

Kamloops, BC is one of the lucky ones, we have a Farmers Market three times a week through the season!  One happens on Wednesday, Friday evening and every Saturday morning.  Saturday’s Farmers Market begins bright and early between mid April and the end of October, you will find the local farmers, bakers and craftspeople setting up ‘shop’ for their big day.

Stuart Wood School, Kamloops, BC

The Saturday Farmers Market is held in front of the Stuart Wood Elementary School on the street between 2nd and 3rd Avenue as well as on the school grounds. This school opened in 1907, which was only 7 years earlier than the first Farmers Market, which was set up by the city council, but I don’t believe it was held here at the time !

The Farmers Market was closed down due to lack of interest after WW 1 but began again in 1978 and has been going strong ever since. I do believe it has been at this locations since then. There is a lot more information including recipes available on their webpage so clik here for more.

Farmers Market, St. Paul St., Kamloops, BC

It doesn’t take long and the shoppers are here and doing their shopping to enjoy the freshest of produce and baked goods.  There is just something great about shopping at the Farmers Market.  In season fruits and veggies are always a favorite.

 

Farmers Market, Kamloops, BC

Home producers as well as farmers bring their products to market here.  There are baked goods and specialty items like salsa, dog treats, and locally made noodles.  Bedding plants and dairy products, teas and coffee.  There is a big range of quality products available to everyone.  They are there from 8am to 2pm mid April to the end of October.

 

Music plays for the Farmers Market, Kamloops, BC

There are several artisans, home based businesses and community stalls here for your shopping pleasure, too.  Most of these display tents are parked on the school grounds and the music for one and all to enjoy plays from the corner of the school playground.

 

 Artisans, Home Based Businesses, Community Stalls, Kamloops, BC

The Farmers Market is a non-profit society that offers bursaries to three students who are enrolled in either horticulture or agriculture courses every year.  They also support the local Food Bank, so our support of the Farmers Market, also helps others.  It’s a win-win.

Farmers Market, Victoria St., Kamloops, BC

On Wednesdays you can wander down Victoria St. between 4th and 5th Ave. and find booths set up for more shopping. There is a smaller group here, but several that make the trip worth it. The sell crafts and jewelry, local organic produce and fresh fish. This market is open 8am to 2pm from the end of April to the end of October.

Farmers Market, Kamloops, BC

One more Farmers Market happens on the North Shore on Fridays from 3:30pm to 9pm, (although another source said it was 4pm to 8pm). It is located at the new Spirit Square, which is on McDonald Ave and King near Holway Ave. You’ll find produce, eggs, coffee, crafts and hanging baskets. This is a new market and with our support will surely grow over the years, too. Their year ends October 1, clik here to check out the NSBIA webpage for the hours next spring.

Local merchants always appreciate the support we give to them, not just in the summer time, many have products available year round. So let’s do our best to support those that work hard and offer us the results of their hard work, especially when it so available to us! This is one of the reasons we love Kamloops, there is just no place like home.

Hot Nite in the City Show & Shine 2010 ~ Kamloops, BC, Canada

The 16^th annual Hot Nite in the City Show and Shine, otherwise called a Car Show for car enthusiasts, was held downtown Kamloops this summer once again.  When it began it was a one night event but it drew so many people that it was too short a time for too many people.  With over 25,000 or more people enjoying the popular event, it is now held during the day but the name was a great one, so it remained the same.

 

Banner flies above Victoria St., Kamloops, BC

The event is held the first Friday and Saturday of August and has become a tradition for those that bring their beautiful vehicles every year, as well as those that enjoy looking at them.  Several blocks of Victoria St. as well as the avenues that cross them, are all filled with almost 350 cars and trucks this year.

Hot Nite in the City, Kamloops, BC

The crowds walk down the middle of Victoria Street to get a good look at the entrants in Hot Nite. There are Street Rods, Customs, American Muscle, Sport-compacts, British & European, Collectors and Vintage as well as other varieties on display.

 

Hot Nite in the City 2010, Kamloops, BC

The weekend begins with a Poker Run held on Friday night.  This year began at the Plaza Heritage Hotel and ended at the A&W downtown, with stops at seniors’ complexes on the journey.  No doubt that was enjoyed by many of the residents there.

Coca-Cola themed Trillium

Cars and trucks are not the only participants in this event.  There were some travel trailers of years ago that may not resemble what they looked like back then but are definitely fun to look at now.  Collectors of Coca-Cola memorabilia would enjoy this entry.

 

Lesley and Adele for Run for the Cure

Other participants in the Hot Nite Show & Shine are booths like this one from the CIBC Run for the Cure with tireless volunteers Lesley and Adele spreading the word of the upcoming event.  Clik here for more information on the Run. Also local bands play on stages set up for the event and this is all free !

Show and Shine, Kamloops, BC

Their pride shows when you look at some of these vehicles, that are trophies in themselves.  The time and money invested in making many what they are today, is for very dedicated car owners, but a hobby that many enjoy.  Care must be taken when viewing these to prevent scratching or marking them.

Hours of planning and preparation done by the volunteers over the previous months shows in the success of this event.  Many of the participants come for miles to showcase their cars and trucks and appreciate the great community support that they receive from young and old.  Just another reason why we love Kamloops, there is no place like home.

CIBC Run for the Cure ~ Kamloops, BC ~ October 3, 2010

I don’t think there is anyone in Kamloops who isn’t aware of the CIBC Run For the Cure. The volunteer based fund raiser has an incredible group of individuals that work hard all year to make sure this is a successful event. There are hundreds of volunteers who help out on Run day and at other events leading up to that, as well as participate in the Run.

Leslie & Adele volunteering

Two amazing volunteers who have been involved over many years are Adele and Leslie, shown here donating their time at the Hot Nights Car Show in August, to get the word out about the upcoming event, to be held this year on October 3, 2010.
The Run was originally created by a small group of volunteers in 1992 and has since grown into the largest single day fundraiser for breast cancer. It didn’t take long and there were cities all across Canada becoming involved in the Run For The Cure.

Banners on display

The Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation CIBC Run for the Cure is Canada’s largest volunteer-led fundraiser event done in one single day. It is dedicated to raising funds for breast cancer research, education and awareness programs.
In 2009 there were 56 communities with 170,000 Canadian participants who raised $26.5 million dollars for the cause, and 95% of the funds raised stay in the region they were raised it.

                                    

                                                  Banners decorate the streets of Kamloops, BC

The Run is the fundraiser and final event of the year but prior to that, there are volunteer appreciations, fund raisers as well as special recognition to those who have survived breast cancer.

As someone who was involved on the committee in this organization for a few years, I can say that it definitely has its’ own rewards and I would recommend it for anyone who wishes to offer some of their time, no matter what capacity. You can be involved by registering to enter, donating funds or volunteering.

Join CIBC Run for the Cure     October 3, 2010

       Rotary Bandshell at Riverside Park, Lorne Street, Kamloops, BC

1k – 5k walk or run.

                              TO LEARN MORE, CLIK HERE FOR THE WEBSITE

 

Terry Fox Run 2010 ~ Kamloops, BC, Canada

Once again the time has come for the Terry Fox Run.  It is being held this year on September 19, 2010.  The Kamloops Run will begin at the Interior Savings Centre, registration at 9am with no entry fee to be paid and the Run begins at 10am. 

Terry Fox Monument in Thunder Bay, Ontario

This marks the 30th Terry Fox Run and is being held in 30 different countries around the world. Over 3 million runners will participate globally! The annual run in Canada is usually held the second Sunday after Labor Day but that varies outside of Canada.  The Run is the largest one-day fundraiser for cancer research and has raised more than $500 million dollars since Terry began his Marathon of Hope.

 

Terry Fox Monument

The Terry Fox Foundation is an industry leader in fundraising accountability in order to follow through with Terry’s wishes. As young as he was, he knew what he wanted to do and how to do that. The Foundations policies and other information can be viewed on their webpage at http://www.terryfox.org/.

Terry Fox in Ottawa, Ontario

Our travels have given us the opportunity to see several of the monuments erected across Canada to honor Terry Fox and his Marathon of Hope.  He is a Canadian hero and an inspiration to all who hear his story.  His legacy reaches far beyond borders and that is proven by the number of global participants in the Terry Fox Run. 

Terry Fox Monument at BC Place, Vancouver, BC

Some of Terry’s journal entries can be read on the webpage and one of them that I am sure, came to mean so much more than he could have ever imagined, was entered on Day 15 of his Marathon of Hope.

Day 15: 542 km

South Brook Junction, NF

"Today we got up at 4:00 am. As usual, it was tough. If I died, I would die happy because I was doing what I wanted to do. How many people could say that? I went out and did fifteen push-ups in the road and took off. I want to set an example that will never be forgotten."

Yes, Terry Fox, you and your example will never be forgotten.

To see more of the Terry Fox Monument in Ontario, please clik on this page.

Westsyde ~ McLure Ferry ~ Kamloops, BC

I like to think that we have sunshine in Kamloops most of the time. We are a semi-arid climate so we do get over 2000 hours of sunshine a year. We also get very little rainfall, the yearly average is 174.8mm (6.8 in.). So why is it that we seem to be getting rain when I am out taking pictures of our beautiful part of the world? I wish I had the answer, but all I can say is that this isn’t normal, really !

We planned to spend the day at the North Thompson Fall Fair which is held in Barriere, BC, which is 66 km (39 mi) north of Kamloops and we chose to make a circle tour of the trip there and back.

 

Westsyde Road scenery

We left Kamloops heading north through Westsyde and followed Westsyde Road for about 40 km. We passed the small communities of Noble Creek and Black Pines following the country road leading us through the Whispering Pines Indian Reserve, which then leads us to the McLure Ferry landing.

The McLure Ferry

The McLure Ferry has been in operation for a very long time and offers the only crossing of the N. Thompson River between Kamloops and Barriere. There is enough room for two vehicles but the crossing only takes a few minutes so the wait will not be very long should there be more than 2 vehicles.  Watch the ferry crossing the river by clicking on this.

McLure Ferry Captain

The McLure ferry is a reaction ferry, a cable ferry that uses the reaction of the current of the river against a fixed tether to propel the vessel across the river. The tether can be seen on the left in the photo.  The ferry doesn’t follow a time schedule but is available on demand for most hours on any day, other than high water and winter season. There are very few cable ferries left but we have one right up the river from Kamloops and it even gives you a free ride !  Check here for more details on the schedule and take the scenic drive to the free ferry.

 

View of the N. Thompson River on crossing

Once you land on the McLure side of the river, you will drive through a residential neighborhood of country homes and small farms, where we saw some sheep watching the ferry traffic pass by, and then out to the Yellowhead Highway.
The one thing that stands out in my memory about McLure is Mr. Len Sadler-Brown.  He was a tall man with a big mustache and the occasional twinkle in his eye.  Mr. Brown was the very tolerant, although strict school bus driver of many years ago. He lived there and drove the bus from McLure picking all kids up to deliver to school in Kamloops and then brought us back home safely, no matter what the weather was.

N. Thompson River at Heffley Creek, BC

We then followed the Yellowhead Highway south, which follows the North Thompson River on its’ way to meet the South Thompson River in Kamloops, BC. We pass lots of farms and ranches in this fertile area, thanks to the river, where we see horses, sheep, cattle and also vegetable productions.

N. Thompson River, Heffley Creek, BC

We drove through the communities of Vinsulla and Heffley Creek, which is 26 km (17 mi) north of Kamloops. This is where you will find a lot of history with the River playing a large part of early exploration and fur trading, dating back to the early 19th century.

This circle tour would take less than two hours but I think you should allow more time as you will want to stop and enjoy the area.  Our day took us to Barriere where we enjoyed the North Thompson Fall Fair, which I shall tell you about soon.  Even on this rainy afternoon, we know there is just no place like home.

Allan Matthews School ~ 1957 ~ 1959 ~ Class Reunion ~ Kamloops, BC

Once upon a time……….. no, I can’t use that phrase. It has been used many times before but I almost feel that I am going to write a fairytale ! I have been thinking about a class reunion of my Grade 5 and 6 classes from Allan Matthews School. Now that was in 1957-1958….. over 50 years ago!

That was then.........

Does that date qualify for a fairytale? No, but it sure does take us back many years to a faraway time. I think most of us get to this age and wonder, "where did the time go? Before you know it, we will be……….." well, let’s not go there ! Let’s just celebrate the fact that we are still here, that we can remember it, and talk about it over lunch!

this is now...............
Thea and Trudy Boultbee, Linda Ashbee,
Sheila Hughes, Maureen Morrison

Mr. Len Fowles was our teacher for a Grade 5/6 split class in 1957-58. I hope we can contact some of those in Gr. 6, that would have moved onto Gr. 7 at KamHigh the following year.  Some of those same classmates from Gr. 5 are in the Gr. 6 picture shown here.   Mr. Fowles and his wife have accepted the invitation to join the reunion on Oct. 18, 2010.

 

Kay Delgarno, Carol Bellos, Sheila Hughes, David Andrew

Many of those same classmates from those faraway Allan Matthews School days went all through high school together and have gathered at other reunions celebrating the Kamloops High School years. Many of us are still friends today and that says great things about ‘the good old days’ that created lasting friendships.

The current pictures have been taken over the past few years when we have had class reunions, some of them for a celebration at 60th birthday parties!  These pictures show some of those classmates.

Alanna Westerman

Joanne Barrett

Don Youwe

Jimmy Stuart

Betty Johnson

Linda Ashbee and Lynne Beblow

Kerri Colquhoun

David Marshall

I was only able to get one Grade 6 picture, Mr. Stevenson’s/ Mrs. Normand's class but there was another Grade 6 class so it would be great if I could get a picture of that, too.  If anyone has a picture of that class, please contact me and I will post that picture.  If you can identify those we’ve missed, we’d love to hear from you.

Please leave your comment and contact email and I will make sure an invitation gets to you.  I won't publish your email address on this blog unless you ask me to.

Robbins Range ~ Campbell Range ~ Campbell Creek ~ Kamloops, BC

‘A nice day for a drive’ usually conjures up blue sky and sunshine but today was not one of those days. We had clouds and the weather forecast included rain but maybe we could have enough luck to avoid the rain yet see some beautiful countryside so away we went.

Robbins Range Road

We followed the Barnhartvale Rd until we came to the Robbins Range Rd then followed that up through the hills. There was no traffic to speak of but there are farm and ranch homes scattered across the range. The public gravel road meanders through ranchland and you will see signs posted where there is private property.

The curious cow of Robbins Range

We didn’t see very many but we saw more cattle than people on our drive thru Robbins Range then onto Campbell Range. The cattle all wear ear tags that are the identification necessary to track down their personal information like heritage, health data and anything else needed to know about them. A big colored plastic tag takes away the rustic cattle look I will admit, (and by the pose that hides hers, this cow seems to agree), but I know this is necessary. It appears to be applied just like having their ears pierced and I would think this is less painful than branding. I didn’t see any brands but may not have been close enough to see that.

Robbins Range ~ Kamloops, BC

It has been many years since we had driven the Robbins Range Road, so long that it all looked new to me. I wish I had listened to those stories of years gone by but I do know that my dad lived here with his family as a very young boy and his father worked in the mill up there. I wasn’t able to find the mill location but I did enjoy the scenery, it is beautiful up on that range.

Pioneer homestead of Robbins Range

There were some spectacular sights and then there were some old decrepit ones, buildings in ruins and that makes me wonder. What is the story here, who was the family that lived here long ago…... maybe it was my dad and his family?

Aspen poplar lined Campbell Range Rd

There are roadside groves of aspen poplar trees throughout the ranges but this tree lined road was a great looking invitation to see what is around that corner. These trees are named from the trembling or fluttering of the leaves but are a very hardy tree who is the first to leaf out in the spring and the last to lose leaves in the fall. The active ingredient in aspirin occurs in the inner bark of the aspen trees.

Trucks that travelled country roads

Very few trucks were left behind but these ones were and make quite a sight. There was a painted sign on the door of one but I was not able to read it. Maybe it said the name of a ranch or perhaps it was a delivery truck? or a company truck from a mill? We will likely never know but it is fun to wonder.

Descend to Barnhartvale ~ Kamloops, BC

As we followed the hill back down to Barnhartvale, we were looking at a view of the mountains in the distance and the valleys that make up this beautiful area that we live in.  Barnhartvale was renamed in 1909 but previous to that was called Campbell Creek, which was the name of one of the earliest pioneers in this area, who no doubt was taken by the breathtaking views that we now enjoy.

Harvesting the crops

We did not see sunshine but that did not detract from the beautiful valleys, hills and fields. Most of the history written of these hills speak about cattle and we saw signs of that to still be here today. The fields that grow crops are being harvested at this time of year but by the time we got to this point, we had rain and there was no harvesting being done at the moment.

Campbell Creek Road ~ Kamloops, BC

We spent the afternoon touring Robbins Range, Campbell Range and then followed Campbell Creek Rd which weaves through more valleys, passing several homes on the final part of the road before reaching the old Merritt Hwy #5A. We passed a few lakes during our drive, some of which are a good size and offer good fishing but today was a day of enjoying the scenery that took us back in time.

We need not drive far before we are out of the city and enjoying the beautiful vistas in the hills surrounding Kamloops. You may want to check the map before you leave but the roads we followed are easy to find and you will see road signs at each crossing that will avoid taking a wrong turn.  (place your cursor on the map below and you are able to move it to follow the roads).

We are so lucky to have all of this in Kamloops, there is just no place like home !

View Larger Map