Nearly a year after its first edition, the taste of Blueberry Jam seems to have lingered for the North. The music event was named the Event of the Year at the recent Northern Manitoba Tourism Awards held in The Pas.
The inaugural version of the festival was held last summer at Flinty’s Campground. It received the honour ahead of the Jimmy Jackfish Derby at Rocky Lake, The Pas’ Northern Manitoba Trappers’ Festival and Nickel Days in Thompson.
The Blueberry Jam Music Gathering was the only nominee from the Flin Flon area to win its category.
Community Futures Greenstone executive director Becky Cianflone and Flin Flon city councillor, arts advocate and Greenstone board member Ken Pawlachuk were nominated for the Award of Distinction - Ambassador honour. Flin Flon Culture Days was also nominated for a partnership award.
“It’s nice to get that recognition and it’s nice to have a reason to celebrate all the different things that are happening in the north,” said Crystal Kolt, cultural coordinator for the Flin Flon Arts Council. Kolt serves as the chair for the Blueberry Jam marketing committee.
“It’s a really good thing to get that promotion. It was such a big success for a first-year event and the commitment of the community and the city of Flin Flon to support it by helping out is something to be proud of. With Culture Days, this is our 10th year and it takes a while to get so big so fast. To get 1,500 or so people out per day in the first year is pretty impressive.”
Kolt added that plans are already underway to help grow the festival outside of Flin Flon, with possible advertising in larger cities on the committee table.
“We’re trying to make a concerted effort to inform the provinces about what’s happening and for people to consider making that trip up north. That’s where, with this particular award, it’s nice to be able to use this event as a tourism drive,” she said.
“Those are the sorts of things that we’re looking at to see if we can get the word out to the surrounding communities, because I think everybody in our community seems to be buying in. People are really excited to be a part of it.”
