By Lisa Parent

Broadway street transforms into focal point for Redcliff Days festivities

Jun 19, 2023 | 4:42 PM

REDCLIFF, AB – While Hatter’s usually travel to Redcliff for fresh fruits and veggies, there was a different reason to make the trip north this weekend. Redcliff days began Friday, the towns biggest event of the summer. This year, an entire street was shut down to accommodate the event.

Long-time Redcliff local Bruce Vine had a deeper connection to the festival than most. Vine’s father helped organize the very first Redcliff days.

“Well he was on the committee that started it, so there was a dozen people that got it going way back in the day. It’s carried on ever since but this probably the biggest I’ve ever seen,” says Vine.

The event was much bigger than previous years. Broadway street, usually just lined with businesses, became the stomping ground for Redcliff days. Vendor coordinator Monica Kallis says the new layout was a huge hit.

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“Behind the scenes has been tons of preparation but it’s all come together pretty good, and everyone is loving that they closed down Broadway because it makes it more of a community feel,” she explains.

Kallis has helped organize events in the Medicine Hat area for years, and has become a well known figure in the community. Vendor Leanne Bailey says she only comes down for events run by Kallis, because of how well organized they are.

“Very very seldom would I ever consider doing a one day market. But the here I am, last night and today, doing two separate and distinct one-day markets, but only because Monica was advertising and running them,” says Bailey.

However, Bailey says this welcoming nature extends past just Kallis’ family, into the community of both Redcliff and Medicine Hat.

“Everybody is just warm and welcoming, and because we know it’s a small town we know the towns gonna come out and support it. They ran it a couple years ago and I couldn’t make it, and they’re just like ‘you’ve got things for kids we need things for kids,’” Bailey mentions.

Bruce Vine agrees, that Redcliff is a very welcoming town, and he couldn’t be prouder of how it’s developed throughout the years.

“It’s good, it makes you feel proud of how the town has grown, so all is good,” says Vine.