If you’d like to get a little more traditional with your winter recreation and perhaps show off some of your more traditional skills, you best be ready for Rolly’s Winter Games, a tournament of traditional pioneer games named in honour of their greatest champion, former Rayside-Balfour town councillor Roland ‘Rolly’ Dutrisac. Dutrisac died in 2021, and the games, held at Whitewater Park on Feb. 24, hope to honor his legacy.
Described as fun-filled yet challenging games, Rolly’s Winter Games are presented by Café Heritage and organized by Gary Michelak and Dutrisac’s wife of 51 years, Evelyn Dutrisac.
The event will also have a children’s snow zone from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., featuring face-painting giant inflatables, and games such as “Pin the tail on the moose.”
The event will be followed by an awards dinner and “Rolly’s Kitchen house party” at the Lionel E. Lalonde Centre at 5 p.m. Tickets for the supper are $20.
The games themselves are probably not what you’re expecting. The first round will feature tea boiling, a timed event to see which team will be fastest in building a fire pit, starting a fire and making a cup of tea.
Then, the two-person cross-cut sawing event, in which teams go head to head to determine who is the fastest at “cutting cookies,” circular pieces cut from the log. Other games include the log toss, a traditional lumberjack game wherein competitors toss logs into a specified area and strength and accuracy will determine the winner.
Then a snowshoe relay to show off your speed and teamwork, and then pea-spitting, to show off your spitting abilities. That’s right, a chance to spit peas and get points for distance and accuracy.
Then, the finale of the games will see competitors on their stomachs, squirming down the track mimicking a seal, and hoping for the fastest time. There are two divisions, an open division and a recreational division. Teams will be composed of a team captain and 4 other members.
The open division has spots for 12 teams (first come, first serve) and is meant for those who are competitive (like sports teams, athletes, etc.) The recreational division is open to the first 12 teams to enter and is a little less competitive. Teams will be declared winners for each event, and the team with the most points will win the coveted “Le Chapeau d’Or.”
For more information visit cafeheritage.ca or email [email protected]
