Real shame

It’s too bad Mother Nature had to rain on our proverbial parade.
True, the annual Canada Day parade itself went ahead yesterday morning and thankfully the leaden skies, cool temperatures, and drizzle failed to dampen the spirit and enthusiasm of those who turned out to show off their Canadian pride.
Unfortunately, the flood threat our community has been battling these past several weeks caused the cancellation of most other events yesterday, including the Boundary Waters Dragon Boat Festival, the bathtub races, and fireworks display (although all three have been re-scheduled for Aug. 9).
Another casualty, of course, was the annual international tug-of-war between Fort Frances and International Falls scheduled for today—kiboshed by the high water levels and strong current in the upper Rainy River.
The real shame is that all these postponements hit just as the newly-named “Peaceful Border Days” festival was poised to come into its own. Interest in the dragon boat racing has been building, for instance, while the “Peace Pull” tug-of-war has attracted more and more attention with each passing year.
With “Fun in the Sun”—our previous summer festival that culminated on Canada Day—long demised, the past few years has seen an effort to create a new one to coincide with the days linking Borderland’s two national celebrations: July 1 and the Fourth of July.
And events like the dragon boat races, tug-of-war, “Mall Day” (which will be held here tomorrow instead of its traditional date of the Friday before Canada Day), and “Riverfest” at the Irvin N. Anderson Ampitheater over in the Falls indicate that “Peaceful Border Days” is well on its way to blossoming into a week-long festival for the enjoyment of local residents as well as a draw for visitors to our area.
Add in the inaugural “Harmony of Nations” Music Festival and the annual Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship, both set for the Sorting Gap Marina later this month, and July promises to be a busy time here for years to come.
Kudos to the organizers and other volunteers whose hard work has brought all this to fruition. It’s events like these that make for a vibrant community—and a way to bring in much-needed dollars and other spin-offs.
Now if we can just get Mother Nature to co-operate.