After having to take a year off in 2020, one of the biggest events of the year in the town of Bienfait is making a return this week for the 2021 iteration. The town will hold its annual parade as part of Canada Day festivities this year. 

"We have a day that's starting bright and early," said Daniyale Lalonde, member at large on the town's parks and recreation board. "We're having a pancake breakfast at the rink from 7:00 until 9:00. The food was donated by the Co-Op in Estevan and is being served by the firefighters in Bienfait."

At one point, there was a planned "reverse parade" to help keep in line with COVID protocols, in which onlookers could drive past the floats and displays rather than gathering on the roadside to watch them go by. That's been shifted back to a more traditional event, however. 

"We were going to do a reverse parade but we as a board decided to do a regular parade," Lalonde said, "and just change up the route so that we can social distance. The parade will start as normal, at 10:00 leaving from the school."

From there, the parade will head north up Weldon Road and then go east down Railway Avenue before going south and then turning west again. The province's move to step two of the reopening plan has made life easier for both the parade and the events around it. 

"That made a big difference in our plan," Lalonde said. "This is a major fundraiser for our sports in our area like our hockey rink and our curling rink and the hockey teams and school events."

With this big event not having been able to happen at all last year, holding the fundraiser this time around is weight off the town's collective mind. The money raised from events throughout the day has been essential to leisure in Bienfait in the past. 

"All of our organizations are struggling but it's a big part of Bienfait," said Lalonde. "I think it brings a new level of happiness. I think everyone is kind of excited to see things go back to 'normal' and I know there were a lot of people disappointed in the way things went down last year with no celebration."