Lyonel Doherty, Times Chronicle
Nobody would have thought there was a pandemic judging from Friday’s Fire and Ice and Light-Up festival in Oliver.
Town Hall was shoulder to shoulder as Santa strolled through throngs of families and posed for photographs every five steps that he took.
The Oliver Elementary School choir led by Lori Martine felt like they came straight out of the film “Elf” as they got everyone in the Christmas spirit.
To top it all off, Juno nominee Raquel Cole brought the house down with a rockin country score prior to a dazzling fireworks show.
The festival began with a welcome by Osoyoos Indian Band elder Joe McGinnis and Chief Clarence Louie. McGinnis spoke in his original language and translated that into English.
“What I said was I welcomed everybody here on our Okanagan Nation territories, territories that we’ve never surrendered or gave up or had any treaties with anybody.”
McGinnis said Oliver has a special name in their language meaning a bedrock ridge that goes into the river. He noted that Osoyoos (in their language) means land under shallow water. He added that Penticton means there was always people living there.
“Our language is more than just words. Our language connects us to our lands physically and spiritually,” he said.
Louie thanked everyone who put the festival together, and acknowledged elder Veronica (Ronny) McGinnis, noting he and Ronny were first elected together in 1985. The chief also thanked his old high school teacher Ray Turner for his work on Remembrance Day, specifically by reading out all of the veterans’ names.
The opening remarks were followed by live performances including OIB singer/drummer Kx Hall who sung the Four Food Chiefs song, and storyteller Kali Baptiste who recited two captivating stories of their people.
Joe McGinnis, an Okanagan language teacher, said Indian bands were “created by the Indian Act, one of the most oppressive acts that was ever passed against our people.”
He noted the Act still hobbles Indian chiefs and their council from doing what they should be doing. But he pointed out one positive outcome from the Act was the creation of elections.
McGinnis said Louie became chief of the OIB at a time when bands across Canada were struggling financially. But his long-term vision changed all that in Oliver and Osoyoos, McGinnis said.
“I’ve known Louie for years as a friend. We golfed together, travelled together, and ya, we tipped a few together, probably more than a few.”
Kali Baptiste from the Osoyoos Indian Band tells a story during the Fire and Ice Festival in Oliver on Nov. 25.
(Lyonel Doherty photo)
Petra Veintimilla from the Oliver Business Association lauded the extra help from the Oliver Tourism Association and the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association.
“They saw the Light-Up as an already established event in town, so they decided to build around that. It was really nice for us to get that extra help.”
Veintimilla recalled last year’s pandemic restrictions.
“People are coming out happy to get together and happy to do the things that they missed for a few years.”
The town councillor admitted that she absolutely loves the Christmas season with all of the lights around town.
I love having it focused around town, being able to draw attention to small businesses that are open on Main Street.”
Veintimilla said she and the mayor took part in some small business walks to check on how business was doing in Canada’s Wine Capital.
“Almost all of the feedback was that things are steady. Most seem to be doing well. There are definitely some that were hit hard by the pandemic and are still struggling in certain industries, but I think in general it feels from the feedback that we got that people are doing the same or better than last year.”
Ian Lobb, who heads the Oliver Tourism Association, said it was good to have the energy back in town.
“It feels alive,” he said over the concert noise in Lion’s Park.
Lobb said the highlight for him was seeing the families coming out again and seeing local businesses coming back after being “tucked away” during the pandemic.
“I think there’s the need for that collective feeling again and to share that with people.”
Lobb couldn’t stress enough the importance of collaboration and how that made the event so successful with the involvement of the Indigenous community.
Parks and Recreation Manager Carol Sheridan said the whole event was amazing.
“Having the Fire and Ice Festival component this year and the return of the fireworks really took things to a new level.”
Sheridan said the comment she heard over and over was how proud people were of this little town for putting together such a great event. “And how happy they are to be living in a small community where everyone is looking out for each other.”
