The eighth annual Floats'n'Flicks event in Erskine this past Saturday brought families and friends together on a sunny, warm day to enjoy the activities and each other's company.
The event started shortly before 6 p.m. with a parade through the main drag in Erskine, and was followed up by fun activities for kids, including face painting, a bouncy house, “train” rides and wagon rides. The Evangelical church hosted its Good Neighbour barbecue, handing out free hot dogs and hamburgers, while snacks in the way of homemade donuts were provided by Ol' MacDonald's Resort, located just north of the village.
The day ended with two movies, played back-to-back, on a giant screen out doors, a traditional drive-in movie atmosphere.
“It's very much a community event,” James Nibourg, County of Stettler councillor and representative for Erskine, said. “Everyone lends a hand. It's great to see.”
He noted that while the activities were geared toward kids for the most part, it wasn't just kids having fun. Families came out in force, and friends gathered. While kids were off playing, parents and grandparents were together catching up with their neighbours and their friends.
“It's a community atmosphere for sure,” Nibourg said. “Our community is getting younger, and there's a lot of kids.”
He said the youth in the community have helped rejuvenate the village, which is on the cusp of expanding.
The Erskine Evangelical Church got involved with the event several years ago, hosting the Good Neighbour barbecue. The free-food event is put on by the church and volunteers and is the church's way of giving back to the community in which it is situated.
For the past three years or so, the event has been held in September rather than during the summer, a change that has increased attendance as people are back in town from vacationing.
The weather held up, remaining warm and sunny for the event – missing out on the coming cold and wet weather by just a hair.