Naturally, with an event featuring a golf movie you would, of course, find a mini-golf course.
Mini-golf was one of 40 activities on hand prior to a showing of the hilarious flick Happy Gilmore during the Vernon Winter Carnival’s Grown Up Yard Games, Barbecue and Outdoor Movie Night Wednesday, Sept. 13, at Mackie House in Coldstream.
The event, originally scheduled for August but re-scheduled due to wildfire smoke, celebrated the halfway mark to the 64th Vernon Winter Carnival Feb. 2-12, 2024. The theme for Carnival is Game! (board, parlour, card, sports).
A barbeque was fired up with smokies and burgers (including vegan options), and what’s a movie without a concession that had popcorn from Yeti Kettle Corn and candy bags from O’Keefe Historic Ranch?
“We were super excited about the turn out,” said Carnival director and event burger flipper Boris Ivanoff about the night. “The location of Mackie Lake House was incredible.”
In the courtyard were 40 different game stations including:
• cornhole;
• triple toss;
• Axe throwing;
• mini golf;
• ping pong ball relay;
• ring toss;
• rock-paper-scissor competition;
• giant dice;
• word unscramble;
• word search;
• would you rather;
• hackie sack;
• ladder ball.
A giant outdoor movie screen was provided by Armstrong Regional Coop and Happy Gilmore made nearly 200 event-goers laugh as the sun went down.
“This venue was the perfect spot for our movie screen,” said Carnival board member Jason Keis. “We love getting our big screen out into the community and are happy to support Vernon Winter Carnival.”
Attendees are asking about another Carnival event for Mackie House. Event coordinator for Mackie, Denise Dickson, said Carnival is welcome any time.
“They are so organized, well run, and the volunteers are terrific,” she said.
Anyone who played a game was entered to win the prizes, including a $500 gift basket from Lake City Casino filled with goodies for grown ups: wine, gift certificates, tumblers, gold necklace, and more.
“We could not have done this without all of our sponsors,” said Carnival executive director Kris Fuller.
Valley First is the Carnival’s title sponsor for all events, and other sponsors include:
• Tourism Vernon;
• Armstrong Regional Coop;
• Transition Marketing Services;
• Nor-Val Rentals;
• Fix-It Auto;
• A&W;
• Mackie Lake House;
• O’Keefe Historic Ranch;
• Yeti Kettle Corn;
• Floppy Shots Mini Golf;
• Lake City Casino;
• Downtown Vernon Association;
• Nolan’s Pharmasave;
• Black Fly Beverages;
• White House Mortgages.
“As always, our community comes out to support our wonderful Vernon Winter Carnival and we are grateful for them,” said board chair Laurell Cornell. “We are also grateful to all of our volunteers and board members who make it all possible.”
While this event was for adults only, Carnival has some fun lined up for younger adults.
A night of sports and games for teens takes place Oct. 6 for 13- to 18-year-olds.
There will be free food, prizes and games, two-for-one pool admission with fun challenges from 7:30-9 p.m., youth skate for a toonie fro 6:45-8 p.m., basketball 6-8 p.m. in the Dogwood gym, games and snacks from 6-8 p.m. in the auditorium.
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roger@vernonmorningstar.com
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