Familes gather in Fort George Park to listen to entertainers as part of the 12th Annual BC Rivers Day Festival

Prince George, BC – Celebrating the sunshine and celebrating our rivers went hand-in-hand at Fort George Park this afternoon, as city residents were treated to a performance from rising stars, Rosewood’s Diary, as part of BC Rivers Day Festival.

The Vanderhoof band entertained the crowd with their acoustic folk/rock blend that proved the perfect capper to a day of entertainment and information.

A number of local organizations were on-hand with displays that focused on raising environmental awareness and stewardship – from Hydro’s Power Smart Booth, to REAPS volunteers answering questions about vermi-composting, to information on the Nechako White Sturgeon Recovery Initiative.

Becky Dochstader was practising what she preached.  Dochstader is past president of Students For a Green University at UNBC and was provide the power for blended smoothies being handed out by SGU members Shannon McGinty (far left) and Samantha Rosario (centre).

Dochstader says the club takes on several environmental initiatives each year.  "We were invited a couple of years ago to BC Rivers Day and we just loved doing it," she says.  "It’s such a great community event and we love, as much as possible, to come down into the community and interact off-campus."

Dochstader says the human-powered blender is a great conversation starter, and SGU often uses it to help fundraise for their initiatives.  The third year student is, fittingly enough, in Environmental Studies.

Sylvie Nelson was not aware that there would be a festival going on when she made her way down to the park to sit on a bench on the bank above the Fraser River.

She says she finds the river very peaceful and enjoys watching it. 

Today, she was there for a chat with her granddaughter, Tristain Chipchase, and both women were enjoying the musical accompaniment to their visit.