Residents in Fort Smith celebrated northern traditions, culture, intergenerational connection and community pride at the Wood Buffalo Frolics.
The festival, which ran from March 5-8, featured a kids’ carnival and outdoor youth events including nail pounding, sack races, snowshoe races, three-legged races and moose calling.
An event titled “how many kids can fit in a rez car?” saw 17 children squeezing into one car.
Wood Buffalo Frolics also included outdoor events for adults, an adult talent show and dance, and bingo.
Christy and Cody Heron were crowned the Grand Royal Family while Bobby and Kelly Bourque and their children were crowned the Royal Court Family.
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
Organizers said the royal court competition raised a total of $21,460 with a net profit of $12,240 supporting Frolics programming.
A family fashion show featured handmade and passed-down items like parkas made during a workshop led by northern designer Dorathy Wright, ribbon skirts, traditional northern outerwear and winter clothing, and a line of ponchos from Naomi Bourque’s From the Wild collection.
Some of the pieces were family items passed down through generations, organizers said, including donations from Fuzzy Marie that his grandfather wore at the 1899 signing of Treaty 8.
Other community events that took place in Fort Smith over the same weekend were the Thebacha Sled Dog Association’s annual dog races and the Joel Tetso Memorial Hockey Tournament.
