Village Picnic
August 23 Schedule at the Holden Community Hall
Noon Potluck
1 pm The Western Thistles first set
2 pm The Western Thistles second set
3 pm Jed and the Valentine first set
4 pm Jed and the Valentine second set
Questions can be directed to Brad Kalf at bradkalf@gmail.com
It could be a Chautauqua!
Chautauqua was established on the shores of a lake in upstate New York, between Cleveland and Buffalo, in 1874 by John Heyl Vincent, a minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church, and Lewis Miller, an Akron, Ohio based inventor. It was a school for Sunday school teachers that grew into a collection of twelve hundred cottages and many shops on 225 acres, hosting as many as 150,000 each summer to attend concerts, lectures, and theatre.
Theodore Roosevelt delivered a famous speech at Chautauqua. Something like nine presidents attended at one time or another. So did Amelia Earhart.
Allow me to share my vision. Holden, Alberta, established by the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway, and known as the prettiest townsite on the Grand Trunk Pacific, has fallen on hard times. In the short time my family has been in this area, all four churches in Holden have closed. The elementary school closed - to be replaced by the Holden Rural Academy, which has grades 7-12. The theatre suffered from water damage and had to be demolished.
Still, there are reasons to be optimistic. The natural beauty surrounding this village, perched on a hill with nearby ponds where waterfowl congregates, is simply unmatched. Main Street is well-kept and charming. The Hotel and a couple of other restaurants provide places for people to meet up and discuss the local gossip. The library sources books from across the province (I just ordered a biography on Bill Hawrelak from the Rycroft Library), and the seniors centre features regular shuffleboard tournaments.
What if an effort was put forth to create an arts and music festival that attracts people from far and wide? Holden is the perfect distance from Edmonton for vacationers looking to escape the city. I believe that Village Picnic, started this year - given enough support from the community - will become a sensation that transforms Holden. Hopefully, we will attract more artists and retirees to Holden, and create a really positive vibe for this small village. We have started small this year, with a potluck and two bands, but if we get a lot of people out, it can become an annual event. Please consider helping this wonderful village find its way through these economically depressed times. While Holden has limited employment opportunities, it is undeniably a beautiful slice of Alberta that more people should be able to appreciate. What starts as a one-day music concert could grow, putting Holden on the map as a cultural destination, and over time it could develop into a cool artist/retirement community with tourists coming out from Edmonton to take it all in. Please come to my concert and help Holden find its niche and build a progressive future in this little village.
My new book Fartknocker! Dunbar goes to Vegreville on amazon.
My old book Brothers of McCauley, Edmonton on amazon.
My first book Blazing Community Spirit on amazon.
