Baker Lake Mayor James Taipana is guardedly optimistic over the quality of the upcoming ninth annual Festival by the Lake in his community from Aug. 22 to 24.
Taipana, who will enjoy the festival for the first time as the community's mayor, has reservations about the event due to its relatively poor performance with locals in 2023.
Taipana said he hopes this year's entertainers will really come through and please local audiences. Festival by the Lake is still a pretty big event in his community and he'd like to see them all be entertaining and successful during the years to come, he remarked.
"Everybody's really looking forward to the festival later this month and I don't want to see any of them be disappointed," said Taipana. "People haven't said anything to me about it recently, but the excitement has been growing a bit as the time grows closer.
"Both the adults and the kids have a really good time at the festival most years, but, to me, it looks like the kids have a slightly better time because of the Bouncy Castles.The kids just love them, at least here anyway. The adults have a good time too. They get into the bands when they start playing, and some will really relate to it. The adults also enjoy playing the different games that are run. The games have some good prizes. They're a combination of cash and material prizes.
"The magicians who have come for the festival have been fairly well-received over the years and we have a couple coming in this year. Everyone loves a good magic trick, but I just hope they don't try to magic my wallet away."
"My best part of the festival is seeing all the families out together and having fun. I also look forward to seeing the band. I'm a music guy and really into traditional music. I'm not too much into the rock and roll and stuff. I like to stick with the music I know."
