Okotoks moves Festival Fridays indoors as heat and smoke force first relocation

Festival Fridays in Okotoks moved indoors for the first time this summer August 1, when temperatures hit 30 Celsius paired with a mild smoke advisory from Environment Canada. The free, all-ages event that normally happens outdoors from 1 to 3 p.m. at Okotoks Public Library has been running weekly through August 14.

The relocation kept the festivities going despite conditions that made outdoor activity unpleasant. Games and activities that would typically draw families to a park setting shifted inside the air-conditioned library instead.

Shannon Donald, a parent who attended with her family, said the spontaneous indoor pivot was welcomed. "We were planning on being outside, and then the fountain's right there, so we're like, if it gets too hot, we'll run over there, but it's kind of nice it's inside today," Donald said.

Festival Fridays is designed to get kids active and help them meet friends over the summer months — a counter to screen time and the challenge many parents face keeping children busy in the heat. Two more weeks of the program remain before it winds down for the season.