It's not often that a single event can take over an entire town. But not every town has something like the Keremeos Elks Rodeo.

Photo Credit: NowMedia

Photo Credit: NowMedia

This past May Day long weekend, the tradition continued. Starting Saturday at noon and continuing through to late afternoon Monday, Keremeos went wild for a multi-day rodeo extravaganza that's been an area staple for 81 years.

Photo Credit: NowMedia

Photo Credit: NowMedia

NowMedia was on the scene for parts of Monday's schedule, which included a parade though the centre of town that attracted hundreds of spectators.

Photo Credit: NowMedia

Photo Credit: NowMedia

Firing up at 10:30 a.m., not long after Monday morning's dueling breakfasts had ended – one at the rodeo grounds and another in Memorial Park – the parade featured a cross-section of everything that's made this region of orchards and ranches and fruit stands what it is today.

Photo Credit: NowMedia

Photo Credit: NowMedia

From farm equipment piloted by little kids to a celebration of migrant workers to floats from as far away as Kelowna, the rodeo parade was, as always, a highlight of the weekend.

Photo Credit: NowMedia

Photo Credit: NowMedia

At 1 p.m., the third day of rodeo action began. But not before a couple hours of serious – and not so serious – food prep in the rodeo's massive concession building.

Photo Credit: NowMedia

Photo Credit: NowMedia

Photo Credit: NowMedia

Watching the day unfold was rodeo chairperson Dave Barker, who'd just come off a Sunday he said was "awesome."

"The weather was great, our stands were full, our big parking area was almost full, and we had a huge turnout for a church service we held on the grounds. And then we almost ran out of food. Our suppliers in Kelowna opened up their shops today on a holiday to pick up more for today."

Photo Credit: NowMedia

Photo Credit: NowMedia

Photo Credit: NowMedia

Barker was thankful for the lack of 2019 spring flooding. The Keremeos rodeo grounds are directly adjacent to the Similkameen River and subject to the dangers of high water levels.

"Last year, three days before the rodeo, we had to make a decision if we were even going to hold it. It was worrisome. But the river cooled down just a bit at the last moment, so we went through with it."

Photo Credit: NowMedia

Photo Credit: NowMedia

Barker talks about the early days of the rodeo, and one year in particular when much of the action occurred inside a circle formed by cars and trucks.

But today he had special praise for the folks within the community who pitch it to make the rodeo a reality. "A lot of the people who help put on this show aren't even Elks members. Without them, we'd be done."

Photo Credit: NowMedia

Photo Credit: NowMedia

Local Elks Exalted Ruler Bruce Dennett echoed Barker's thoughts.

"I'd like to take this opportunity to thank the public for coming out and joining us. It takes the Elks a lot of work to get this done and when we see all them smiling faces, that's just great."

"The majority of the work is done not just by the Elks, just volunteers from the community who come in and help us out."

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Dick Veldhuis of Armstrong's Grand Saddlery and Western Wear sat in front of a trailer filled with western garb and just behind a table stacked high with cowboy hats. Grand Saddlery owner Denise Dalziel soon came over and joined him, and the two were clearly in their element.

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"We were the first retail western wear operation ever allowed into the Keremeos rodeo by the Elks," said Veldhuis. "We narrowly got the vote to try us out for one year. And once we were here, they loved us."

"This event is great. It's all volunteer. Many of the public who come into the rodeo come and shop with us because they don't have a western store anywhere close. They say this is the only opportunity they get once a year to buy a nice new hat or boots."

Photo Credit: NowMedia

Later, as we packed up and readied to hit the dusty trail home, Barker sauntered over once more to invite us to the Keremeos Elks Bluegrass Festival on June 14, 15 and 16. It's one of two Keremeos Bluegrass Festivals in 2019 – the other being September 13, 14 and 15 – and it sounds like fun to us. More on that in a future preview.

Photo Credit: NowMedia

Photo Credit: NowMedia

Photo Credit: NowMedia