A welcoming celebration, involving the whole community, is being planned when members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police bring their iconic musical ride to Powell River this summer.
The RCMP Musical Ride will be performing at Paradise Exhibition Park on Thursday, August 1. The last time it came to Powell River was 1997.
“If you’ve never seen the musical ride it really is a work of art,” said Helen deBruyckere, one of the social event’s organizers. “It’s a beautiful program to watch.”
The troop of 32 horses and riders perform a variety of cavalry drills choreographed to music.
Members of the North West Mounted Police, the precursor to the RCMP, created the musical ride in 1876 to display their riding ability and entertain communities. Riders are “first and foremost police officers and must have at least two years’ experience in active police work before volunteering for duty with the musical ride,” said deBruyckere.
Rotary Club of Powell River, the RCMP Veterans’ Association and Bruce Denniston Bone Marrow Society are hosting a social event from 4 to 7 pm on Wednesday, July 31 at Willingdon Beach to give the public an opportunity to come out to meet the RCMP musical ride members. Food and entertainment will be available at the event and deBruyckere said organizers are looking for musicians who might be interested in volunteering their time and talents.
Louise Williams and her husband Barry Kosturos will prepare hot dogs and hamburgers in their mobile kitchen. Quality Foods has donated food for 500 people at the event. Organizers are hoping to have a “Powell River Welcomes the Musical Ride” cake donated for the event as well.
While the event is free to attend, deBruyckere hopes people will make a donation. “We don’t want to exclude people if they don’t have a donation,” she said. “Even 10 cents would be fine.”
All proceeds of the social go to the Bruce Denniston society.
There is only room for 2,000 people to attend the musical ride on August 1 at Paradise Exhibition Park, so deBruyckere urges people to get their tickets early. The ride begins at 7 pm. Tickets are available at Rainbow Valley Pet and Farm Supplies, The Knack and River City Coffee. Advance tickets are $10 for adults and teens and $15 at the gate on the day. Tickets for children 12 and under are $5 and babies in arms are free.
Proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to the Bruce Denniston society’s Diversity for Life campaign.
