The 2nd annual Wood Buffalo SummersEnd, sponsored by Royal LePage True North Realty, came to a close today after a flurry of activity at MacDonald Island Park that began on September 2 with the triumphant return of the beloved Blueberry Midway!  Sun, rain, dark clouds and even lightening joined the party but that did not dissuade thousands from attending the event that included three nights of music including Stompin’ Tom Connors, Barney Bentall, and April Wine, who closed SummersEnd with a resounding collection of rock standards that kept everyone on their feet to last note of the encore!

The Shell DanceXplosion also attracted a supportive audience for the finals on Sunday which 13 entrants vying for top spot. Judge Russell Thomas could not have been more pleased with what he saw from our local dancers. “There was such a breadth of talent and passion on display,” he said.  “Choosing a winner was incredibly difficult.”

Claude Giroux, Events Wood Buffalo Executive Director, is extremely pleased with this edition of SummersEnd. “It’s just amazing to see how many folks showed up to support the event and it was really satisfying to see such great talent and joy on display everywhere I looked this weekend,” said Giroux.  “I am looking forward to an even bigger event in 2011 with double number of midway rides and games, and another stellar mainstage line-up and DanceXplosion.”

Junior hockey history is going to be made in Wood Buffalo as Fort McMurray will host the firstoutdoor junior hockey league game in North America. The game between the Fort McMurray Oil Barons and the Drayton Valley Thunder will be played on Friday, November 26 at 7 pm on a regulation sheet of ice constructed on MacDonald Island. In addition to being the first official junior league game played under the stars, the event will striveto break the Alberta attendance record for a junior hockey league game.

“This is a tremendous opportunity to put our community on the national stage,” said Sheldon Germain, Northern Classic Chair. “We have shown time and time again that we have an incredible capacity to do great things. Creating hockey history and gathering the largest Alberta junior hockey crowd in support of our Oil Barons will send a strong message about the big spirit of our region.”

The challenge of constructing a regulation junior hockey rink at a time of year when cold weather is not a certainty hasbeen embraced by the organizing committee. “We have received great support from a number of partners who will enable us to build an amazing outdoor facility including a refrigerated ice surface to guarantee the game will happen no matter the temperature,“ said Tim Reid, Vice Chair, Events. “Commitments have already been made for the donations of rink boards, temporary bleachers and engineering expertise. NHL ice‐making legend, Dan Craig, will be supervising the installation of the ice and mentoring local ice‐makers to ensure that the knowledge stays in the region.”

The Northern Classic has been strategically scheduled for the Friday of Grey Cup week activities taking place in Edmonton this year. “We see this as a perfect opportunity to invite a group of national media representatives to our community on the quietest day of the football festivities in the capital,” said Andrew Boutilier, Vice Chair, Hockey Operations. “What a great chance to get a positive Wood Buffalo story on the news and sports channels that broadcast into communities from coast to coast. This is our time. This is our home. This is our game!”