Fall Fest fun at the Allan & Jean Millar Centre

To celebrate the changing of the season, the staff at the Allan & Jean Millar Centre held Fall Fest on Saturday, September 21 in the JR’s Pressure Service Fieldhouse. There was a bouncy slide, tic tac toe, nerf target station, corn toss, pumpkin painting, giant blocks for stacking and tumbling, tug-o-war and a balloon popping station, which had a sweet surprise; candy in the balloons! Children bounced from station to station and tried all the different things set up for them to do.

Program Leaders Montana Blackstock and Maddy Bryson were on hand to help guide the children as they played. They said that events like this give residents a chance to hang out in a safe, welcoming space. “We want to get kids and their families out in the community and to meet each other. In Whitecourt, there might not be as many ways to do that, especially if you’re new to town, so something like this is easy to come and hang out, and your kids get to let loose and have fun.  That, and it’s the first day of Fall so, why not have a little fun with it,” smiled Blackstock.

Events like this are frequent at the AJMC. If you missed your chance to take part in Fall Fest, then the next event will be one to add to the calendar, especially if you like pirates. “We have a Community Fun Night coming up in October. It’s a fun, free event sponsored by Tim Hortons. It’s pirate-themed, so there will be lots of pirate activities, and we are partnering with the pool so that people can go swimming.” Set for Saturday, October 19, the fun will start at 5:30 pm and go until 8:30 pm.

One of the most popular staples at the community nights is the Tim Hortons Double Double which is a giant inflatable obstacle course. Add in the free sweets donated by the restaurant, and you have both dessert and a way to work off the energy wrapped into one. “It’ll be tons of fun! It’s such a great place to meet people and make new friends for yourself and your children. Lots of people come, and there will be lots of young kids here so they can meet new friends in a fun and safe environment,” explained Bryson.

Completely free, the Community Fun Nights take place each month, aside from December and the summer months, and the only rule is that an adult must accompany kids under eight. To learn more about the events coming up at the AJMC, grab your copy of the latest Spectrum magazine.