Over the past weekend Town & Country photographers were busy taking pictures at the Fall fairs around the South Peace.

Clairmont

The Clairmont Agricultural Society hosted the Clairmont Fall Fair on Saturday. Visitors could come down to enjoy an open air community market and a fall exhibition at the Clairmont Community Centre, along with children’s activities and food vendors. The day kicked off with a pancake breakfast, and closed with a dinner and dance.

Sexsmith Last Call Before Fall

The third annual Sexsmith Last Call Before Fall brought together local non-profit organizations and plenty of summer fun for the community.

Wembley Fall Fair

The Wembley & District Agricultural Society hosted the town fall fair on Saturday.

It included a bench show, boxcar races, a magician, vendors, bouncy castles and parade later in the afternoon.

Town & Country News reporters covered many stories and events over the past month. Here is a collection some of their favourite photos over the past month.

Bear Creek Folk Festival

Around the South Peace

Fall Fairs

Animals!

After touring the area earlier this year, Dr. Chantelle Scrutton is set to open a practice in Beaverlodge.

Scrutton is a physician from Johannesburg, South Africa, who visited Beaverlodge during a site visit in January. The event, a collaboration between the Town of Beaverlodge and Alberta Health Services (AHS), is staged to showcase amenities offered by a community in need of a doctor. 

South Peace Professional Attraction and Retention Committee (SPPARC) member Judy Kokotilo-Bekkerus said she understood that Scrutton will join the West Peace Medical Centre later this year.

“The whole of rural Alberta has a shortage of doctors,” said Kokotilo-Bekkerus, who is also a Beaverlodge town councillor.

“The fact that she chose to come here is really quite amazing, and I’m very pleased.”

The County of Grande Prairie has also shown their support to the incoming physician.

County council approved $10,000 in grant funding for Scrutton during Monday’s meeting through its Physician Recruitment and Retention Policy that offers incentives for incoming physicians.

During her visit in January, AHS physician resource planner Susan Smith hosted a luncheon attended by Scrutton and her husband.

Scrutton told the News she looked forward to starting a practice away from the bustle of the big city.

“We’re looking to getting out of the big metropolitan area,” Scrutton said.

“We love the space and the peace and quiet and just a slightly slower pace of life and a more intimate, supportive community feel, so this was a really nice community.”

The West Peace Medical Centre declined the News request for an interview by press time.

The Bear Creek Folk Festival (BCFF) sold out for the first time this year. 

The festival's headliners Sarah McLachlan, Blue Rodeo and The Strumbellas took the spotlight on the main stage in Muskoseepi Park over the weekend. 

The festival had over 30 artists performing across four stages.  

BCFF Producer Sarah Card says around 7,500 people attended the festival each day of the weekend.

The festival kicked off on Friday for the public, but volunteers began assembling the site on Wednesday.

The festival enlisted the help of over 650 volunteers this year, with some coming from all over the country.

Travel Alberta said the 2019 festival resulted in $1.1 million in direct and indirect spending in the Grande Prairie area. 

Card told Town & Country News in March the festival could provide upwards of $1.4 million in spending in the region this year, according to Travel Alberta figures.

This year the hill was full of patrons all three nights and even a little bit of rain on Friday had some still dancing without any concern.

Setup

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Wildfire evacuees from the Northwest Territories began coming from Hay River to Grande Prairie last week. 

The Grande Prairie Regional Emergency Partnership (GPREP) was activated on Aug. 14 to accommodate incoming evacuees. 

Evacuees from the Northwest Territories South Slave region were coming to the city to register and be given accommodations but have since been directed to proceed to the Leduc Reception Centre if they have not yet registered.

Meals have been made available for evacuees at the Holiday Inn and Grande Prairie Friendship Centre (GPFC).

The friendship centre is also accepting donations for evacuees as it says many have come in a hurry. 

“Please consider donating new and unused items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, shampoo, tampons, pads, sanitizers, nail clippers, hairbrushes, razors, etc. 

“If you need it in your home, evacuees need it in their accommodations as well,” reads a social media post from the centre. 

Other items, such as new underwear, socks, baby supplies and diapers, an updated list of what is needed can be found on their Facebook page. 

“For one family, while they were being transported from their evacuated home, the mother went into labour and was flown to Edmonton,” said the friendship centre. 

“The father came here to Grande Prairie with the other children. 

“When he came to us at the centre, he told us they had nothing when he came. No clothes, no diapers, no formula, nothing; this is not the only story like this.” 

The Hay River evacuation order came on Aug. 13, and soon after, an evacuation order was given for Yellowknife on Aug. 16; the city of 20,000 was expected to be fully evacuated by Aug. 18 at noon. 

Valleyview, Fox Creek, Lac La Biche and Red Deer have set up reception centres for evacuees from Yellowknife.

Reception centres for the evacuees continue to fill across the province as more people flee the fires of the north. 

The friendship centre continues to assist evacuees in the Grande Prairie region with food supplies, and Alberta Health Services has set up a Health Hub at the centre, which will “provide health support for evacuees including mental health, addictions and public health,” says GPREP in a media release.  

The province says up-to-date information for evacuees is available at alberta.ca/northwest-territories-wildfire-evacuation. 

Mayor Jackie Clayton released a statement Friday Morning noting the city has fresh memories of recent wildfire activity in the area.

“This time, our partnership joins similar responses being led by the Province of Alberta and multiple cities, including Calgary and Edmonton, in supplying staff and resources to aid evacuated residents from the Northwest Territories,” she said.

“Together, we are committed to offering our northern neighbours support, services, information and solace as they navigate through this challenging season of fires.”