Emily Plihal
Local Journalism
Initiative Reporter
It’s time to celebrate the men and women who work tirelessly to grow meat, eggs, grain and other products for us to consume and manufacture.
Nampa Farmers’ Day will be taking place at Mill Brown Park, located east of Nampa Village Office, on June 13 from noon until 4 p.m., thanks to Nampa/Northern Sunrise County Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) and Village of Nampa.
“Farmers’ Day is an opportunity for us to express gratitude toward our farming community and to acknowledge their invaluable contributions,” says FCSS director Amber Houle.
“Farmers and ranchers do so much for our communities, they contribute to food production, create employment opportunities, boost the local economy, practice environment stewardship, and many farmers and ranchers in the county and the village support community programs through sponsorship and donating their time to offer educational experiences to community members.”
The afternoon event will feature a little bit for the whole family, with various children’s activities also being part of the day.
“I am the bouncy castle tester, and I can say with confidence that it is my favourite part of the day because they make me feel like a kid again,” says Houle, noting she hopes farmers (at least the cool ones) will also bounce in the castles.
“Parents with younger children are permitted to bounce with their children. Volunteers will reduce traffic on the castles to accommodate smaller children so they can participate in the fun safely.”
Houle says people of all ages will find something exciting to do at the Farmers’ Day event, and the grounds are accessible to all abilities. She hopes everyone will attend to celebrate the day with their neighbours.
“The Farmers’ Day event is a long-standing Nampa tradition, and it draws visitors from all over, making it the perfect opportunity to explore everything Nampa has to offer,” Houle explains.
“It’s an opportunity for families and individuals to connect with one another and enjoy a day of free activities,” she adds. “It’s also an opportunity to honour our hard-working farming community by providing free activities for their families to enjoy.”
In addition to the bouncy castles, there will also be a foam pit to keep the kids occupied. Glitter tattoos and self-guided games, Nampa Mascot Tank, and other games will be available for the children. Houle says there will also be a baseball tournament in the community all weekend long.
“There will be no barbecue, however, we encourage visitors and residents to pop into Sunrise Café to cool down and enjoy their meal specials over the weekend,” she says.
“The Nampa Museum will be coordinating a Scavenger Hunt in conjunction with the Farmers’ Day event this year as well. Participants can pick up their sheets between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. and have until 3 p.m. to hand their sheets in. There are several prizes to be won.”
For more information about Farmers’ Day, call Nampa Community Development coordinator Alicia Surman at (780) 322-3954, and for more information about the scavenger hunt call (780) 322-2777.