Although the pool at Buffalo Pound Provincial Park will be closed this summer, there will still be lots of different things to do in the park — all of which are free for anyone and everyone.
The busy summer kicks off with some Canada Day festivities at Maple Vale Beach, with a bike parade at 10am on July 1, followed by a pancake breakfast, crafts, cake, and face-painting.
Every Friday, the Survival Series program will run a session on a new topic related to wilderness survival. Beginning with the basics on July 5, and returning each week with fire-starting techniques and advice on wild animal encounters, among other topics.
Beginning on July 3, Crafty Campers will feature a nature-themed craft every Wednesday through the summer. On Thursdays, Discovery Table will teach nature-themed knowledge, like how to identify animal scat and tracks, or what to do if you’re lost in the woods.
On Tuesdays, the weekly Movie Nights will return beginning July 2. A new shelter was built by Lakeside Foods, which will be perfect for drive-in style movies and in case of rainy weather.
Buffalo Pound is once again hosting the Virtual Bioblitz on July 8, where people can download the iNaturalist app and log all the different kinds of bugs, animals, and plants they see around the park. The app will keep track of which provincial park has the most variety of nature.
Learn to Canoe classes will be returning to Maple Vale Beach, on July 6 and 27, or Aug. 3 and 17. Participants will learn canoeing basics and safety and prepare them to get out on the lake themselves.
Jason Matity will once again be teaching Learn to Fish on July 14, on the new fishing platform at Maple Vale Beach. Equipment will be provided, and Tim Yates will also be there to demonstrate net fishing techniques.
Terrance Littletent will be stopping in on July 13 and Aug. 24, to perform a hoop-dancing demonstration as part of his park-wide tour.
On July 20, lovers of hiking and ghost stories are in luck; the Haunted Hike will tell some spooky tales as you walk down to the Nicholle Homestead, with a more mild tour at 8pm and a scarier tour at 10pm.
The Campfire Cooking event, which was a hit last year, will be returning on July 21.
Campfire Idol will showcase local talent with a warm campfire setting on July 26. The sign-up sheet for the show will be available soon at Lakeside Foods.
On Aug. 5, a traditional Homestead Picnic on the Nicholle Homestead will take over the Nicholle Flats Nature Area. There will be horse-drawn wagon rides around the property, good food, and historic activities to honor the great parties the Nicholle family used to throw on their property.
There is no shortage of activities in Buffalo Pound this summer, and the park hopes to see people out and enjoying what they have planned.
Buffalo Pound is also launching their Collect and Win Series for the summer: those who stop in at any of the activities this summer will get a stamp card, and the more stamps you collect on your card by attending events in the park, the more prizes you can win.
There are no fees for any of the events, and no registration required — although some events require parents to stay with children age 12 and under.
A full list of programming, as well as times and details about the activities, can be found on the Buffalo Pound page of Tourism Saskatchewan’s website.
