Walk PG – Lheidl T’enneh / Prince George
Wild About Lheidli Keyoh Prince George (WALK PG) Outdoor Festival Returns to Cottonwood Park on Saturday, June 1, 2024!
Attention outdoor enthusiasts, nature lovers, and culture seekers! Mark your calendars because WALK PG, the Wild About Lheidli Keyoh Prince George Outdoor Festival, is returning to Cottonwood Park on Saturday, June 1, 2024. WALK PG is not your average festival – it’s a day-long adventure and celebration packed with fun, laughter, and unforgettable learning experiences that connect to local outdoors! This family-friendly event is free to attend and promises a day filled with exciting activities, educational workshops, live entertainment and knowledge sharing.
Attendees will have opportunities to immerse themselves in the rich culture and traditions of the Lheidli T’enneh First Nation, while also enjoying a variety of outdoor recreational activities and visiting various booths sharing local expertise. The festival will kick off with an opening ceremony featuring an Elder Welcoming by Elder Les, nd a performance by the Khast’an Drummers.
Ready to get your hands dirty? Between 10 AM and 3 PM, dive into a world of hands-on workshops and activities! Try a canoeing adventure led by the dynamic duo, Renee and Vanessa from RCABC. Keep your eyes peeled for feathered friends during birding sessions with Dr. Jennifer. Dr. Phil will teach you the ropes of tent camping, while Elder Barry and Elder Edie share Lheidli stories.
You can join Indigenous plant gathering and preparation sessions with Dori and Jess, explore the fascinating world of fungi on a Mycology Walk with Dr. Hugues, or discover the art of geocaching with Eric. Poetry lovers won’t want to miss the Poetree Walk, led by Al, where they can express their creativity amidst the beauty of nature. Elder Les and Jan’s fish skin tanning workshops will leave you hooked!
WALK PG concludes with a closing drum ceremony with the UHNBC Drummers, bringing everyone together to reflect on the day’s experiences and celebrate the vibrant culture and natural beauty of the region.
Walk PG 2024 will take place at Cottonwood Park, 211 River Rd, Prince George, BC V2L, Canada. Click here to locate the park.
Bus stops and pick up times (1st Run)
| BUS TIMES | STOPS |
|---|---|
| 8:45am | PU @ University of Northern BC (UNBC) Bus Loop |
| 9:20am | PU @ Parkwood Place Mall – by Pizza Hut |
| 9:45am | DO @ Cottonwood Island Nature Park Parking lot by river & large shelter |
Bus stops and pick up times (2nd Run)
| BUS TIMES | STOPS |
|---|---|
| 11:20am | PU @ Cottonwood Island Nature Park River Road |
| 11:45am | PU @ Parkwood Place Mall – by Pizza Hut |
| 12:10pm | DO @ University of Northern BC (UNBC) Bus Loop |
| 12:20pm | PU @ University of Northern BC (UNBC) Bus Loop |
| 12:40pm | PU @ Parkwood Place Mall |
| 1:00pm | DO @ Cottonwood Island Nature Park Parking lot by river & large shelter |
Bus stops and pick up times (3rd Run)
| BUS TIMES | STOPS |
|---|---|
| 3:30 pm | PU @ Cottonwood Island Nature Park Parking lot by river & large shelter |
| 3:50 pm | DO @ Parkwood Place Mall- by Pizza Hut |
| 4:15 pm | DO @ University of Northern BC (UNBC) Bus Loop |
Schedule for the day
| TIME | ACTIVITY A | ACTIVITY B | ACTIVITY C | ACTIVITY D |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10:00-10:30 | OPENING | Elder Wecloming | Khast’an Drummers | |
| 10:30-11:30 | Canoe (16 +2 inst) | Birding | Beginner Camping | Lheidli history |
| 11:30-12:30 | Indigenous Plants – gathering | Fish Skin Tanning – Part 1 | Yoga (Chinook Yoga) | Story – How trees got their bark |
| 12:30-1:30 | Mycology Walk | Fish Skin Tanning Part 2 | Poetree Walk (Al R) | |
| 1:30-2:30 | Canoe (16 +2 inst) | Birding (PG Naturalist Club) | Indigenous Plants – preparation | Earth Art |
| 2:30-3:00 | CLOSING | UNHBC- Drummers |
Booths
| ORGANIZATIONS | FOOD | |
|---|---|---|
| Lheildi Elder’s Society | Northern Bear Awareness society | Afro-Carribean Food Truck |
| Geochaching | BC Wild Fire Services | Datsun Cho Bannock |
| Tourism PG | Face Painting | Baller Foods |
| Botanical Gardens | ORTM | |
| Moose, Mushrooms and Mud | PG Naturalists Society | |
| RCABC |
We Walk to Remember
~ for Wild About Lheidli Keyoh (WALK PG)
we walk the river to remember
where the water comes from
and where it is going
we walk the river to watch
the eagle land in the cottonwood tree
and the squirrel run up its trunk
in the golden glow of sunset
we walk and watch the water level
and pray the forest doesn’t go dry
and a spark ignite a town
we walk between the red osier dogwood
between the high bush cranberry
between the wild rose hips in fall
we reach out and touch
the medicine at our fingertips
we walk our dogs
we walk to see the stones smoothed over
we walk under the clouds
we walk with our friends
we walk so our grandchildren can ride their bikes up on ahead
we walk to be alone because the river
is no stranger to being on its own
we walk and remember
all those that have walked before
hundreds and thousands of years
stepping along the river shore
walking carefully with their stories
we remember to walk carefully
past a small spruce tree growing
right out of a fallen log
we walk for hope
we walk to find some peace
we walk fast to fill our lungs with air
and to keep our heart beating strong
we walk in spring to hear
the praise of the boreal chorus of birds
crowding around the leaves
we walk the river
to remember who we are
~Al Rempel
Lheidli Keyoh- May 1, 2024