The best events are the ones that keep people moving forward.
They give them something to aspire to see and take part in.
They bring new people to the area and generate a buzz that reverberates around town.
The west coast had a number of such events. Those events came in different shapes and sizes.
There were one-offs, annual festivals and events that will turn into annual things.
We tried to take a look at every facet of life on the west coast and find some event that brought people together.
Here are the top-10 events of 2018:
1. Hockey Day in Corner Brook
It may very well have been the event that wasn't. A January storm and thaw results in washouts, flooding and other damages just prior to the scheduled date Hockey Day celebrations were set for Corner Brook. The event went off though with the tireless efforts of volunteers, including Craig Kennedy, and was praised by all.
2. Foam Fest
Thousands of people descended on Marble Mountain this fall for what was a first-of-its-kind event being held in the region. Foam Fest was a resounding success as it gave people looking for something new to try a chance to experience it.
3. Friendly Invasion
Don't worry, the Americans weren't trying to invade Stephenville for real this summer. They were just being friendly neighbours to the south as the town celebrated its history with the United States Armed Forces.
4. CB Nuit
Riffing off of the Nuit 150 festival, Corner Brook’s local version had the same format and gave people onlookers the chance to patrol West Street and take in dozens of artists and performances.
5. Trails, Tales and Tunes
The annual Norris Point festival is a high point of the spring and early summer. Traditionally, held over the Victoria Day long weekend, the festival is an ample mixture of discovery and music.
6. Writers at Woody Point
The second festival based in the scenic Grose Morne national Park, the Writers festival merges literature and music into something else. It blends to the two mediums with a dose of the audience to produce something that resonates with people.
7. Legalization of marijuana
The legalization of weed straddled the line between news story and event. People lined up in the morning of Oct. 17 for the opening of Tweed and the dispensary at the
Dominion store in Murphy Square. Whether you smoke or not, it is certainly an event that will reverberate for years to come.
8. The Cuddle Bed Project
A part of Sophie Peckford's efforts to provide the pallative care unit at the Western Memorial Regional Hospital in Corner Brook, this event featured a number of local performers and helped Peckford reach her goal.
9. Dick Nolan Stage dedication
This summer Corner Brook paid tribute to one its musical forefathers and strong export Dick Nolan. They dedicated the stage at Margaret Bowater Park in his honour and held summer shows there that were free to the public.
10. Stephenville Theatre Festival
The airport town's theatre festival serves as a celebration for the arts in the area. It reached its 40th year this year and only looks to get stronger.
Nicholas Mercer is the online editor with The Western Star. He lives in Corner Brook and can be reached at [email protected].