The second Annual Word on the Street Festival, Sunday afternoon, Sept. 23, was a success and an even bigger one than last year.
Not only did they have more vendors, more room for everyone, but also had more people. Organizer Colette Acheson estimated more than 3,000 took in the fun throughout the afternoon.
The sound of a clash of medieval arms ricocheted across the grounds as the U of L Medieval Club showed their skills.
Lethbridge improv troupe the Drama Nutz wandered through the audience playing a variety of Whose Line Is It Anyway-style improv games as children run through the crowd with their faces freshly painted.
The main tent featured a variety of authors reading from their latest works.
First Nations humourist Drew Hayden Taylor provided an insightful discussion on native humour, trickster characters and his book –“Motorcycles and Sweetgrass.”
Over at the panel tent there were informative discussions happening about quilting, gardening, writing in general and romance writing.
Clifford the Big Red Dog and Curious George wandered through the crowd entertaining the kids.
At the other end of the grounds, as they had blocked off a couple streets for the festival from Fifth Ave. South to Eighth Street surrounding the downtown branch of the library, there were numerous activities and speakers catering to kids and numerous different booths for arts organizations, French organizations, magazines and more.
Variety was the watchword for the musical entertainment as well, which wafted through the air from the stage’s Stafford Drive location.
Unfortunately I missed Karen Romanchuk and Jolene Draper, but was pleased to catch some First Nations history and folk songs and dancing from Curt Young and Jamie Medicine Crane.