After more than a year-and-half cooped up due to the pandemic, Hope locals and visitors alike came out in droves to attend this year’s World-Class Chainsaw Carving Competition, marking it one of the most successful events yet.
“Attendance was good—very good,” said Victor Smith with Communities in Bloom, the organization behind this year’s event. “There were lots of families there, which was good to see. There was like electricity in the air with all the sawdust and (whirring of) chainsaws. People were pumped to be out and about.
“(Overall,) we were extremely happy with attendance.”
With 13 carvers from across North America filling out Memorial Park, Smith says this year’s event was their biggest yet.
“The marketplace (of vendors present) had lots of variety, (and comprised) a nice blend of people from outside the area, which complimented what we had here. And the food trucks were also lots of fun,” Smith added.
This year also brought a unique variety of competition pieces, said Smith. From fairies to bears and dogs, to a giant Indigenous Chief’s head, to a water bomber plane, the entries were as diverse as those carving them.
Some of the “carvers said it was the best (carving competition) they’d ever attended: it was the most fun, had the most interaction with people. It’s like one big family when everyone comes to Hope (to compete in our competition),” Smith said.
But none of it would have been possible without all the volunteers who helped make the vision a reality.
“We had a huge volunteer group, and it was just amazing. Our volunteers are who made this happen, and we’re so lucky to have them,” said Smith matter-of-factly.
@SarahGawdin
Sarah.Gawdin@hopestandard.com
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