39th annual Kootenay Children's Festival celebrated in Cranbrook
A long-running festival for children and families in the Kootenays saw an extra large turnout this year.
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Longtime North Bay editor challenges himself by writing fiction
Allister Thompson's first book was self-published, but his second, 'Birch and Jay: The Knowledge Seekers: Book 1,' was published by Latitude 46. A North Bay editor turned author has released his second book. Allister Thompson's first book was self-published, but his second, 'Birch and Jay: The Knowledge Seekers: Book 1' was published by Latitude 46. Allister Thompson book Allister Thompson's first book was self-published, but his second, 'Birch and Jay: The Knowledge Seekers: Book 1' was published by Latitude 46. 'I have been an editor for most of my life, and I had my first bookstore job when I was 16,' Thompson said. 'I edit fiction every day, all day long. Eventually, you start to think, can I do this? Have I learned from analyzing other people's stories and telling them what to do? Can I tell myself what to do?' He asked himself whether he could tell a compelling story. The first book he wrote was a long time ago. 'This is my first mature piece of work, I would guess you could say,' said Thompson. 'I really just wanted to see if I could do it.' Book is set in 'Norbay' The main characters in his book are Birch and Jay. They are living in North Bay 100 years in the future. 'The community is renamed Norbay,' he said. 'They are two teens who are in a relationship. Jay is a member of a guild in a town called the 'Knowledge Seekers.' The founders of the town who were survivors of the climate collapse were very idealistic. What they want to do is gather and archive the knowledge of the previous generations.' Thomspon said Jay is a member of the guild, but Birch is not. He said Birch is a more impetuous type who has not figured out what to do with her life. 'Birch has not figured out if she wants to join this guild, and she is in a bit of conflict.' Thompson said that Jay is sent out on his first mission to get his feet wet on former Highway 11. He added that it pains him that this is a very realistic book. 'This is about looking at things that really could happen,' he said. 'The things you will face in a lawless society will be wildlife, dangerous animals, but more so dangerous people.' Thompson's book is available at
CTV News
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- CTV News
Ninette Fair to mark 70th anniversary this weekend
The Ninette Fair is marking a major milestone this weekend. June 13 and 14 will mark the 70th annual Ninette Fair. It will be an event that has something for everyone to enjoy while showcasing the fair's history. 'When you look at fairs nowadays, you look at small towns, communities, everything seems to be shrinking and it's getting harder to put these events…When you can hit something like 70, 75 (years), it's amazing. Not only for the people that are putting it on, but for the community as a whole because it means that in a community of a couple hundred people, it's surviving,' said Bryan Podworny, the president of the Pelican Lake Ag Society, which hosts the fair. Podworny said when the fair started, it was an agricultural fair, focused on everything from livestock to growing crops. That trend will continue this year with nine different horse competitions as well as a youth cattle show. Games like the three-legged race and an egg toss will just be a sample of the entertainment that people can enjoy. Ninette Fair A horse racing event at the Ninette Fair. Uploaded June 11, 2025. (Bryan Podworny) There will also be bounce houses, musical acts and a kids exhibit, which will showcase all the kids' talents, from art to cooking. Friday night will feature a teen dance and the traditional roast beef dinner will also be making a return, as it was sidelined during the pandemic. 'The other cool thing that we're bringing back again, a little nostalgic as they used to do it, is the king and queen farmer. We're calling it this year the Ag Olympics. People are going to have to muscle up and do some farm chores and (compete) for some prize money.' It wouldn't be a fair without a parade as well, with Podworny noting the parade was amazing last year and he expects much the same this time around. Ninette Fair Parade Bagpipers playing the in Ninette Fair Parade. Uploaded June 11, 2025. (Bryan Podworny) Gates to the fair open up at 4 p.m. Friday and getting onto the grounds is completely free. Podworny said the only things people have to pay for are food and beverages. He thanked all the volunteers who have put in so much hard work to make this event possible and he is excited to see everyone show up to enjoy it. 'If it wasn't for the volunteers, we would be nowhere. So a massive thank you goes out to them for helping us out.'
CTV News
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Calgary artist and illustrator creates children's book… for adults
A Calgary woman has taken her life-long dream of writing a book and made it a reality. Mary-Leigh Doyle's book is called I asked for a Unicorn but Life Gave Me a Zebra. She says it's a children's book for adults that features artwork she created, paired with a story she wrote. 'I dreamed of being a children's book illustrator back when I was a student going to art college,' she said. 'I hate to say how many years ago that actually was, but then life kind of took over. Interestingly enough, it was my own children and raising them that took me away from that chance to be a children's book illustrator.' After a series of family losses and caring for an ailing spouse, Doyle says she returned to her studio to escape reality by creating images of her version of a fantasy world. 'I started making illustration after illustration, and then it was someone else who pointed out to me that maybe those look like they could be in a children's book,' she said. 'Then all of a sudden there was that dream, it came back, and I developed a storyline around what I had already painted and actually found a way to work in what I would like to think has become my life's philosophy.' Doyle says the book has a message of positivity, and if that positivity is hard to find, a person has to actively go out to look for it and discover it. 'For me, it harkens back to everything I ever needed to know about life – which I learned in kindergarten. So, I wanted to write a book for adults that was shareable with a child, but that would reach an adult at that base core simplicity – rather than it being an overly heady, philosophical sort of thing.' Doyle turned to friend and business associate Annette Wichman, owner of Kensington Art Supply, to add her expertise as a calligrapher for the text in the book. 'I saw the images and then I read the story, and I was hooked,' Wichman said. 'It's like, 'I love this, I love the paintings, I love the story.'' 'It's one thing as a calligrapher, I knew I was going to be writing the words over and over and over again, and it was such a treat – it wasn't a chore – this was fun and I loved doing it." Doyle says the first edition of 40 books sold out along with the second edition of 25 books. Now, she's taking orders for the next printing. 'Many of us sit out looking for a unicorn in our lives, and we become so fixated on that unicorn that we think its going to make us whole, complete, happy,' she said. 'But we miss seeing all the little tidbits, the gems, the 'zebras' that have been around us the whole time.' Throughout the month of June, Doyle's artwork and Wichman's calligraphy are being shown at Framed on Fifth's gallery space in the 1200 block of Fifth Avenue N.W. until June 28. Doyle is also hosting a demo at the gallery on July 14 from noon to 3 p.m., during which time she'll show visitors how she creates some of her carved artwork.
