There are a few certainties growing up in small towns or villages.
You have two grocery stores, two or three restaurants – and summer and winter carnivals. In Arborg, Manitoba, there’s an annual summer fair, and once upon a time, we had a winter carnival.
The Arborg Winter Carnival was three days of family friendly events, held on the coldest or most spring-like weekend in February or March. There was a corporate challenge, pitting four or five teams against each other in various competitions such as curling, sponge hockey, wood chopping, “big ball” soccer, snow sculpture building, and smooshing races. Growing up in the 1980s, the winter carnival kicked of with an air band competition and then fireworks by the Icelandic River on the Friday night.
Arborg would sometimes manage to snag a CKY-TV personality. One year, cameras scanned one of the outdoor events and captured my school/skating friend and I chanting “Let’s go, Legion, let’s go,” as both our families were on the Arborg Legion team. When we realized the camera was on us, we were so excited! We were disappointed it didn’t air, but still, it was a cool moment.
On the Sunday, the Arborg Winter Carnival wrapped with the Arborg Skating Club’s ice show. Complete with the crowning of the carnival queen and king. Eventually, the king was phased out, and same with the queen.
Looking back on those ice shows, the rink was packed to capacity. People filled the stands and lined arena, wall-to-wall. At the end of the ice show, skaters were showered with balloons dangling overhead in the rafters. When the balloons were released, we’d grab a couple for ourselves, then pop them with out toe picks. Once the P.A. announcer officially signed off, kids who weren’t part of the skating club, would jump over the boards – because we didn’t have Plexi-glass until the late-80s – and they’d run to stomp on the balloons.
The final balloon drop was our 1986 Arborg Ice Show. We were the last arena in the northern Interlake region to have artificial ice, just in time for the 1986/1987 season. Balloons aren’t artificial ice friendly.
Even with artificial ice, parents, family, and friends froze in the stands for an hour and a half, cheering on the skaters, blinding them with flash cameras. Capturing their child as a lollipop, baker, Irish girl, strawberry, gingerbread person, or lion. Priceless moments.
In 1989, a tradition started at the Arborg SC. Skater would hear, “our next skater won a gold medal in the Interlake Interpretive Competition,” or “a bronze medal in elementary ladies at Regionals” before their program. It was motivation and achievement.
After the ice show, we’d wait for our local paper, the Interlake Spectator, to release coverage of the carnival. The ice show was always seen as the highlight of the Arborg Winter Carnival. There were photos – and the competition was on. Who would be in the paper.
In a small town, it was a thrill to be in the paper. It was local, but hey, local, provincial, or national, it doesn’t matter. You’re in the paper.
On March 14, 2014, Arborg Skating Club will be holding their ice show. The theme is Just Dance, featuring the next generation of “our next skater won a gold medal at STARSkate provincials,” and “placed 10th in level 1 at the Manitoba Winter Games.”
The Arborg Skating Club secured Bree Langlais from the Selkirk Figure Skating Club their guest skater, who placed fifth at the Skate Manitoba Sectionals in Senior Women this season.
STARSkaters will perform free programs and group numbers to music that’ll get your toes tapping and fingers snapping. Skaters who are sure to entertain are Sarah Jensen, Natasha English, Eva Jensen, Olivia Orbanski, Kayla Weik, and Jenica Sul. These skaters are planning programs to Madonna’s Vogue, Pink Panther, Black Swan, Micheal Jackson’s Thriller, Tango, and New York, New York.
CanSkate, STARSkate, and Rising STAR skaters will perform numbers to the Jitterbug, a Conga Line, Hula, YMCA, 1960s Go Go Dance, Footloose, and more.
The ice show starts at 7 p.m. Arrive early for a prime seat. And don’t leave too soon. The final number is the Macarena. Relive the 1990s and have your arms ready!
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A modified version of this post will be included in a memoir about my figure skating career and published summer 2025
CREDITS:
Photos: Personal archives
Skating Scene 