SportFest to provide interactive experience today

By Lethbridge Herald on June 2, 2023.

By Justin Seward

Lethbridge Herald

The annual  Lethbridge Sport Council’s  SportFest is providing attendees with a one-stop shop interactive experience for anything sport to physical literacy today.

Featured at SportFest are 40 exhibitors from local sporting organization that are showcasing  programs and services in the community.

“Both fields are going to be full of sport organizations and other either businesses or community groups that have an interest in physical activity and the health and well-being of the community,” said Susan Eymann, LSC executive director.

“It’s really a one-stop shop for anyone to come. It’s free to come in and get to know the organizations (and) try-out the sports. There are four different come try-it zones. We have the synthetic ice, court floor, mats and turf.”

Sportfest is a good way for organizations to create an email list for those that are interested and allows for them to communicate with families throughout the year.

“It actually has connected some sponsorship opportunities with sport organizations,” said Eymann.

“There have been connections between sports to do things together. There’s been an opportunity for organizations to fundraise — you know sell some t-shirts and things — as well as get volunteers for just different activities they do during the year or for their board. So it’s not just about getting families to register in a sport. We’re trying to encompass everything, so that whatever the need is of those organizations, that’s how they can engage with everyone who comes by their booth.”

LSC often hears about families who come in the morning and wander around because there is so much to do and often come across sports that they’re not aware of.

“(And) that they go have lunch and they come back again,” said Eymann.

“So there really is a lot. There have absolutely been follow ups afterwards where families have registered for those sports and have done so because of the interactive aspect of SportFest.”

A bike rodeo will be on display for children or people who haven’t rode before to have a safe place to ride a bike, learn about safety and read the road signs.

The key attraction this year is pickleball.

“The sporting community, it’s strong,” said Eymann.

“But it’s also challenging. It’s challenging to get the volunteers and it’s challenging to attract the youth and the families to their sport because there are so many options and often it has to do with scheduling. Is this sport available on this evening because I’m not available the next evening.  I guess overall, the interest that we’ve had and the uptake from sport organizations for this event has been fantastic. And I think it really shows the passion of the volunteers that are behind providing all these programs for our youth and a lot of the coaches and officials are also volunteers.”

SportFest goes today from 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. at Servus Sports Centre.