The first First Saturday of summer 2016 is set to go July 2.
Carol Fergus of the Kimberley Arts Council says the successes of the past three seasons have made First Saturdays a viable event to continue, although grant opportunities to fund them are getting fewer.
“The value of the day in the Platzl, which benefits locals and visitors, is free to all who participate in a variety of activities, but does present a cost to the organizers,” she said.
Therefore, July’s First Saturday will once again feature a silent auction. Last year’s silent auction raised over $4200.
The big First Saturday event last year was Symphony on the Mountain, It was a huge success, but also hugely complicated. Not something you can repeat every year, Fergus says, although it may happen again at some point.
This year’s new event will be the Kimberley Bed Race. The First Saturday committee even has the beds it can provide to teams. Teams are encouraged to wear costumes. Registration for the race is $100 per team (four pushers, one rider) and all proceeds go to the Hospice Society.
The day will begin with a Rotary Pancake breakfast in the Platzl from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Bed Race check in opens at Centre 64 at 9 as well. At 9:45 a.m. the Kimberley Pipe Band will pipe in the beds and the first race is at 10 a.m.
The silent auction will run from 10 to 3 p.m.
At 12, Frocks on Bikes meet in the Platzl for a fun, short and frilly ride for a great cause — the women’s shelter. Registration for the ride is $10.
High tea will be offered at Chateau Kimberley beginning at noon.
Also starting at noon are the art market and demonstrations, music, face painting, kids activities and more. From 1 to e p.m. Dark Fire Cloud and the Lightning Band is in the gazebo. This is the band who played the free concert last year. There will be workshops and demos at Marysville Artisans from 1 to 3 p.m., an art exhibit at Centre 64 from 2 to 4 p.m, children’s reading at the Kimberley Library at 2 p.m., Kimberley Underground Mining Railway tours at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. the Kimberley Heritage Museum is open from 9 to 4:30.
There are four First Saturdays planned for this year. Saturday, July 2 celebrates summer. Saturday, August 6 celebrates arts, heritage and culture and kicks off the Kaleidoscope Festival. Saturday, September 3 celebrates community and Saturday, October 1 is Oktoberfest.