Ashcroft art show
The Ashcroft Art Club’s Fine Arts Show and Sale is back for its 57th year from Friday, April 19 to Sunday, April 21 at St. Alban’s Church Hall in Ashcroft. The show opens on Friday evening with a reception and viewing (adults only), and continues throughout the day on Saturday and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.
All are invited to come by, view the artwork, meet some the talented local artists, and perhaps go home with a beautiful piece of original art.
Ashcroft spring parade
The Rotary Club of Ashcroft-Cache Creek is holding a spring parade on Saturday, April 20. It starts at 10 a.m. from the Ashcroft IDA Pharmacy and travels down Railway Avenue to the Heritage Park, where there will be free music in the park starting at 11 a.m. All are welcome to come out and enjoy the parade, either by taking part or by watching.
Alexandra Lodge artisan market
There will be a Vintage Oddities Artisan Market at the historic Alexandra Lodge near Spuzzum from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 20. By-donation tours of the restoration work at the site will be available, and there will also be paranormal displays (and a paranormal meet-and-greet), some “haunted items”, vintage wares and local artists, mini donuts, and concessions from The Little Food Cart and the Black Basket Café.
Clinton Seedy Sunday
The Clinton Communities in Bloom Beautification Society is hosting its annual Seedy Sunday event on Sunday, April 21 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Clinton Memorial Hall. Admission is by donation, and there will be a seed and plant exchange, information about beekeeping, FireSmart, and native pollinators, garden books and tools, and much more.
Fire Sprite Heirloom Nursery will be there, along with representatives from the Bonaparte Watershed Society, Thompson-Nicola Invasive Plant Management, and Thompson Okanagan Master Gardeners. There will also be door prizes, contests, and free activities for the kids, and lunch and refreshments will be available on site.
Minor hockey AGM
The Thompson-Cariboo Minor Hockey Association will be holding its annual general meeting on Sunday, April 21 starting at 6 p.m. at the Ashcroft HUB. All members are invited to attend, and members of the public who are interested in learning more about the association are welcome.
WRAPS theatre audition
Have you always longed to be a horse’s ass? Now’s your chance! The Winding Rivers Arts & Performance Society is holding another audition for its fall 2024 production of Beauty and the Beast: A Pantomime. The audition will take place on Sunday, April 21 starting at 2:30 p.m. at the Ashcroft HUB, and anyone aged 10 and older who wants to take part is encouraged to attend.
WRAPS is particularly looking for a few good men who are interested in being a part of the production, with parts large and small available. Also needed are two people willing to play the back (and front) end of a pantomime horse. For more information call Jessica at (250) 457-7128.
Royal Purple bingo
Come down to the Cache Creek Community Hall on Sunday, April 21 for bingo, sponsored by the Ashcroft-Cache Creek Royal Purple. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and the bingo action starts at 6 p.m.
Beach clean-up
We’ll see you on the Savona beach! Yes, it’s time for the annual beach clean-up in Savona, and anyone willing to volunteer a few hours of their time is welcome to head on over from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 28 for some raking and hauling (please bring your own tools and gloves). Water, coffee, and a light lunch will be provided.
Deadmans Creek rodeo
The annual Deadmans Creek Rodeo is coming up at the Deadmans Creek rodeo grounds west of Savona on Highway 1 on May 4 and 5, with the action starting at 1 p.m. each day. Major events will include bull riding, bareback riding, barrel racing, steer wrestling, team roping, and contemporary and ranch saddle bronc riding; other events include wild cow milking, a calf scramble, a whisky race, a stick horse race, and traditional events.
The rodeo is hosted by Skeetchestn Natural Resources; for more information call (250) 373-2613 or go to www.skeetchestnnr.ca.
Cooks Ferry May market
Book a table now, and mark your calendar, for the May market being held at the Cooks Ferry Chief Whitsemnista Centre in Spences Bridge on Saturday, May 11 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The market will feature crafts, quilts, jewellery, clothing, fine art, housewares, sweet treats, a concession featuring chili and hot dogs, and a silent auction. Tables are available for $5 each; for more information, or to reserve, call 778-253-0277.
Umpires needed
The Cache Creek Softball Association is looking for umpires for its 2024 games and tournaments, and will help with the costs for those interested in taking umpire training.
Anyone aged 14 and older who has an interest in softball is eligible to be an umpire. For more information, contact Ashlene Minnabarriet at (250) 457-1499.
Clinton Annual Ball
Since 1867, the social event of the season in Clinton has been the Clinton Annual Ball. You can be a part of history on Saturday, May 18 when the 157th annual ball takes place at the Clinton Memorial Hall; cocktails will be served from 5 p.m., dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m., and then there will be entertainment, plus dancing to the music of Vic’s Dance Band, until midnight (a snack buffet will be served at 11 p.m.).
Tickets are $85 per person, and there are still a few available. For more information, call (250) 459-2759; for tickets call (250) 459-7069 or email tickets@clintonannualball.com. E-transfers, cheques, and cash are all accepted; cheques can be mailed to P.O. Box 185, Clinton, B.C. V0K 1K0.
Clinton Parade
The theme for this year’s Clinton Parade is “The Great Outdoors”, celebrating the landscape and activities that make Clinton and the surrounding area such a great place.
Entry in the parade — which starts at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 25 — is free, and entry forms can be picked up at the Clinton village office; you can also email clintonparade@gmail.com to request a form or get more information.
Clinton cowdog showdown
The BC Cattle Dog Series is coming to Clinton on June 1 and 2 with a Cowdog Showdown, and is looking for sponsors.
The event is presented by the North Thompson Stockdog Association, and is CCDA- and MSSA-sanctioned. The event will include junior, novice, intermediate, nursery, and open classes on foot, and spectators from across Western Canada are expected.
For more information, or to become a sponsor, contact Madison Howell on Facebook, or call Cooper at (306) 299-7076.
Grant application assistance
Are you a member of a non-profit or First Nation in or near Ashcroft that needs some assistance applying for a grant? Free grant writing assistance is available for qualifying organizations. For more information, contact the grant writer at the Ashcroft HUB by calling (250) 453-9177.