Finding an activity for the whole family to participate in and enjoy can be tricky, but not on Aug. 9! This summer evening will see Mill Lake Park filled with entertainment, music to your ears and more as Songs, Strings and Steps brings family fun to Abbotsford.
This production, brought to you by Calvin Dyck in collaboration with the Abbotsford Airshow and the Reach museum, is a free community event, designed to bring families together for an evening of fun and amusement.
Starting at 7 p.m., Mill Lake Park will be flooded with the sounds of the Abbotsford Youth Orchestra and members of the Vancouver Island Symphony conducted by Maestro Pierre Simard from Montreal. Some of the sweet sounds that you can hear at this concert include highlights from the recent wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, music from hit movies including La La Land, Les Miserables, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Incredibles and Downton Abbey, and violin solos from Calvin Dyck including the Four Seasons by Vivaldi and The Hot Canary. Keep an eye out for Calvin wearing his favourite hat – a yellow fedora with an ostrich feather!
Speaking of hats, prizes will be up for grabs for the best hats or fascinators in the crowd. Don your best accoutrements and you could win a free meal or a CD from Calvin Dyck.
The fun doesn’t stop when the music does. After the concert, over 200 puppet lanterns created by locals will march at Mill Lake Park, including three large-scale puppet lanterns created by artist Randi Edmundson. Children will be in awe of the parade, brought to you by the Reach museum, as their favourite animals and characters float by, and the public is invited to bring their own puppet lanterns to the 8:45 p.m. parade as well.
To complete the evening of complimentary entertainment, the Abbotsford Airshow will present a screening of the Disney film Planes at 9 p.m. in the park. A spinoff of the hit Pixar movie Cars, this one is a family favourite!
“I’m excited to present this special event for Abbotsford residents to enjoy, and I want to thank all the sponsors who have made it possible,” Dyck said.
This event promises to offer fun and entertainment for the whole family and would make for a memorable night this summer. While this event is free and everyone is invited, donations are appreciated. Food trucks will also be in attendance. Don’t miss the opportunity to enjoy this special evening with your favourite people!
