The St. Davids Lions are hard at work getting ready to commemorate a milestone anniversary – 60 years of serving their community.
This year’s anniversary is being celebrated at the annual St. Davids Lions Carnival, which runs from July 26 to 29 at the Lions Club Grounds.
Martin Forster, zone chair for the Lions, told The Lake Report that setting up for the carnival has begun already and organizers are gearing up for classic family fun.
“We’re ready for a good carnival. (Last year), they came out in droves and supported us and we’re hoping for the same thing this year,” he said.
There will be a little extra attention paid to having a theme this year – “six decades of giving back to the community,” said the Lions’ entertainment chair Ken Lamb – but Forster said they found they didn’t need to change too much about the yearly carnival.
“People loved our carnival, they came out and supported us tremendously. We certainly don’t want to change that,” he said.
Lamb said it’ll have all the classic rides and attractions, accompanied by some new features, and musical performances falling in line with the theme.
“We really tried to get representation from six decades,” Lamb said.
Each musical act will represent a different decade, with bands like the Repeatles, Turntable Rock, The Hitmen and more set to perform.
And for the first time ever, Lamb has planned an entirely separate country night on Sunday. It will feature four different bands and the Lions are asking for a $20 donation as an admission – his goal is 500 people attend.
“If 500 people come out and donate $20, that’s an extra $10,000 that will go back into the community,” he said.
Forster said that Susan Snider, the club’s incoming president played an instrumental role in planning and theme organization.
“She’s going to be our first female president in the 60 years of the club’s life, so that’s a big step for everyone,” he said.
“She did a very commendable job, she got everyone on the right page.”
Along with the usual family favourites like food, grocery baskets and rides, this year’s carnival will feature the Lions’ first dog show in support of dog guides and a section for the Leos to sell tulip bulbs.
The club is not raising any prices because it wants the carnival to focus on family fun, Forster said.
“As so many have faced higher costs with COVID, we intend to keep our prices the way we had them so that all families can enjoy it.”