Plans are fast coming together for Saskatchewan’s Biggest Housewarming Party Ever which is now just a week away. The Sept. 1-3 celebration, designed to welcome Red Paper Clip Trader Kyle MacDonald and Dominique Dupuis to their new home in Kipling, will feature appearances by several notable performers. Among them are award-winning Country Singer Brad Johner, Singer Jody Gnant, who traded with Kyle for a recording contract, the Heavy Metal band Stillseed, Pop group The Rotators, Ontario band Club Treehouse and recording artist Colin Pearson.

Beer gardens will be open all three nights at Kipling Arena. Bobby Byrnell will be Friday’s DJ.
Saturday’s headliners, from 9:30-1:30, will be the Saskatoon-based rock band Butterfinger.
Sunday evening will feature local sensation Alex Runions, also from 9:30-1:30.

Craft booths and vendors of pretty much any sort can arrange for a space on Main Street to sell their wares as well. To book a spot or to be included on the entertainment schedule, contact Scott Kearns at 736-2441 or email countryregister at sasktel.net.

Food concessions and mealtime fare will be plentiful and varied.

The health foundation is putting on pancake breakfasts on Main Street both Saturday and Sunday, beginning at 8:00.

Renowned author Mary Balogh of Kipling will be signingbooks, Saturday from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm.
Watch, too, for local artist Clayton Kertai, who will be creating a monstrous chalk mural on Main St. during the proceedings.

Auditions for Donna On Demand resume Saturday from 2:00 to 6:00 pm at Kipling Community Centre. The winner of the role will be announced during Sunday’s gala program.
A number of downtown businesses will be preparing food of various sorts around mealtime. Among these is the staff of Plainsview Credit Union, who will serve a taco-from Page One
in-a-bag lunch Saturday at their location and will be serving up a barbecue Sunday out of the Legion.

Saturday, the Bekevar Ladies will have a cabbage roll meal availableat lunch time. For the evening meal, there will be beef on a bun at 5th and Main put on by the 4-H and supper at the rink served up by Parks and Rec.

Among the Sunday supper offerings will be KFC, being brought in by Kingswood Golf.
Of course, one need not wait until mealtime to dine. Street vendors will offer a variety of goodies including curly fries, watermelon, snow cones, popcorn, candy floss, corn on the cob, steak burgers, wings and even pie just about any time of day. Local restaurants will also be open for business, some with special features planned. Displays and sidewalk sales are also being planned, along with in-store sales. Details of many of these can be found in the official Housewarming program, being prepared locally. It will also carry the story of Kyle MacDonald’s trades, from one red paper clip, to the house at 503 Main St. The Order of Service for Sunday’s interdenominational service, along with the words to the hymns, will also appear in the program. There will also be a page reserved for autographs.

An open invitation is issued to buskers, whether clowns, musicians, jugglers or the like, who perform for donations or just for fun. No appointment needed. It would be nice to see local participation in this aspect as well.

Several “Dino Bouncers” (inflatable jumps) will be set up and supervised games and races will be going on at the Elementary School grounds much of the weekend.

The SaskTel hot air balloon will be there, too!

The Visitors Centre will be open at 601 Main St. all three days. It is here that admission bracelets can be obtained, allowing access to the camping area, auditions, beer gardens and the Sunday program and concert area. Just $20 for adults and $10 for teens. Those 10 and under who register will get a free bracelet allowing access to age-appropriate venues.

Saturday evening, (Sept. 2) the top five males and top five females selected from the auditions will perform in a “pop idol” style final competition in front of a live audience.

After the audition finals, a double feature of Corbin Bersen movies will be shown behind the High School, on the big screen from Big Sky Cinema.

Sunday, beginning at 10:30 am, a non-denominational worship service will be held on Main St.
At 1:30 pm, Premier Lorne Calvert will officiate at a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially open the new Medical Clinic on Fourth St.

The main housewarming program will begin at 2:00 p.m. from a stage on Main St.

Those attending any or all of the Sunday events are encouraged to bring their own seating.

It should also be noted that for safety reasons, bikes, rollerblades and skateboards will not be allowed on Main St. during the celebration.

The program will feature an address by Premier Calvert as well as greetings from Mayor Pat Jackson, MP Ed Komarnicki and MLA Don Toth. Entertainers will include recording artists Brad Johner, Colin Pearson and Jody Gnant, the White Bear Dancers and the band Club Treehouse. The show will go on for much of the day. Kyle MacDonald will be declared Mayor for a Day, as a part of his trade. During the afternoon program, the winner of the movie role will be announced from the Main St. stage.

Football fans: a big-screen TV provided by Chitt-tronics of Montmartre will be set up for the Labour Day Classic.

At dusk Sunday, a fireworks display will kick off the evening’s festivities.

This will signal the reopening of the beer garden at the Arena.

It promises to be a fun-packed weekend at Kipling, as the community welcomes Kyle MacDonald and Dominique Dupuis with Saskatchewan’s Biggest Housewarming Party Ever!

Anyone can spare some time and energy to get involved with this community event can contact Loretta Demyen at 736-2366.

Check for updates online at www.townofkipling.ca, www.oneredpaperclip.com or saskatchewfun.blogspot .com