Photos and story by Don Urquhart, Times Chronicle
Community spirit was very much in evidence yesterday at the annual Roots and Fruits Expo which took place on a stunningly sunny day at the Oliver Community Park delighting adults and children alike.
The event kicked off with a drumming/singing welcome by the Osoyoos Indian Band, brief speeches and singing by the Oliver Ambassadors.
Speaking at the opening ceremony Oliver Councillor Dave Mattes highlighted the hard work put in by Oliver Parks and Recreation staff and volunteers to make the event a success.
Noting the event “showcases all that Oliver has to offer” he said Oliver residents should be very proud. “On behalf of the town I would like to thank all of our Parks and Recreation staff as well as the countless work and dedication have brought this expo to life.” He added that events like this bring people together.
Rick Knodel, Electoral Area “C” Director similarly expressed his appreciation and also highlighted the hard time that farmers in the area are going through and urged everyone to “buy Canadian, buy BC, and wherever possible please, please buy Okanagan, they can use all the help they can get these days.”
A healthy crowd moved through the gates throughout the day for the event that ran from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. with an estimated over 1,000 people attending the event. Kids enjoyed a myriad of games and activities while adults enjoyed the music, food, displays and vendor tents.
The annual pie eating contest was a huge hit with kids to adults competing in age bracketed heats with five champions reigning supreme in messy victory.
This year’s event focused on “hyper local” entertainment all coming from the Oliver area. Event organizer and Director of Recreation at the Town of Oliver, Carol Sheridan said: “Every single performer is either living in the Oliver area or is closely connected to the community.”
Fittingly the event capped off with a rousing finish featuring The Racket, an ensemble of five local dads who played infectious rhythms of Ska to an appreciative and still reasonable crowd given it was Sunday night.
