Come for the food, leave with a trout.
It's not the official motto of Summerfest, which is set to take over downtown on Sunday, but the annual Prince George Downtown Business Improvement Association celebration allows you to do just that.
The Taste Pavillion will feature sample-size portions of selected menu items from 16 local restaurants, while the entertainment package will include a live fish pond where aspiring anglers will be able to try to hook a trout and take their catch home for dinner.
"Last year it was the most busy attraction," organizer Heidi Martel said. "It's a real fishing experience."
The Taste Pavaillion will be bigger than last year with five new vendors to tantalize the taste buds of visitors. Although the event is put on by the DBIA, the participating restaurants aren't limited to only those located downtown.
Martel said based on feedback from last year they've tightened the hours this year -- the event will run from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Third and Fourth avenues -- but will be chock full of family friendly entertainment.
One of the main stage highlights will be comedic magician Clinton W. Gray who will perform on the main stage at 11:15 a.m., but will also be around in the afternoon doing a roving show as well as teaching children about magic tricks in a tent set up on site.
The Lollipop Girls, a group of 10- to 12-year-olds from the Lower Mainland, will also put on a main stage musical performance. Plenty of local talent, ranging from Sound Addiction to The Statistics will also be on hand.
For those who want to get involved in the entertainment, there will be an interactive groove flash mob taking place between 1:10 and 1:30 -- basically a chance to dance down the middle of the street. Martel said participants will be able to follow along with the choreographed steps, or invent their own.
"We really are excited about it," Martel said. "You're in an event and just let your hair down a little and jump right in with both feet and participate -- don't worry what you look like."
Although some merchants will be open for shopping during the event on Sunday, Martel said Summerfest is more about exposing people to what the downtown has to offer.
"The other thing we're trying to do is just to get the people downtown, walking around the streets to see what is available," she said. "When they have a little bit more time and there's not this great entertainment on the main stage of this food pavillion, they'll spend some time shopping in the stores downtown."
To that end, when Summerfest returned last year organizers decided to move it around the downtown.
"We've chosen two of the busiest streets," Martel said. "They showcase some fabulous restaurants that are in the Taste Pavillion and they also showcase some fabulous retail shops."
Next year Summerfest is expected to return to its traditional home turf of George Street.
