Fort McKay - yours to discover

I've been going back and forth to Fort McKay for 17 years.  I've watched it grow and develop to the point now that I keep encouraging leaders like Chief Jim Boucher and Fred McDonald to take out a double page spread in the Fort McMurray Today, Connect or Snapd to share their success story, to do a photo essay of the Fort McKay of 2014. Beautiful homes, lovely landscaped properties, public facilities that are first-rate, and a view of the Athabasca River that will take your breath away.

If ever there was a weekend to make the 45-minute trip out to this beautiful community north of Fort McMurray, this is it.  The Fort McKay First Nation is celebrating their annual Treaty Days, and they consistently put on an amazing show.  The entire schedule is located at www.fortmckayevents.com but certainly the highlight is the concert planned on Saturday night at their new amphitheatre, featuring a number of familiar local talents and one mammoth country music star.


Chief Boucher shared his vision for this beautiful new performance space a couple of years ago when we chatted at a Keyano Gala.  Through the efforts of his amazing team, the facility is almost complete, and will certainly become a Wood Buffalo cultural destination.  For those who are somewhat familiar with Fort McKay, the amphitheatre - the site of the Dwight Yoakam concert on Saturday night - is located behind the arbor, which you can see from the main road opposite the Dorothy McDonald Business Centre.

The most remarkable thing about the Fort McKay Treaty Days celebration is that it's free.  Yes, you read right; it is absolutely free.

We are many communities and cultures, but we are one region.  Finding and seizing an opportunity to leave the confines of our urban centre (Fort McMurray) and discovering the beauty of our rural communities is more than worth it.  The people are always gracious and welcoming, and the drive, whether you go north or south is incredibly picturesque.  This weekend's destination needs to be Fort McKay, where you'll get an extra dose of fun and entertainment.

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