From July 14-17, Quesnel was alive with a free family festival. Residents and visitors enjoyed a parade, street market, car races, rodeo, carnival rides, non-stop live entertainment, laser show and other festivities in honour of Billy Barker, a very successful miner during the Cariboo Gold Rush.
“Hosting Billy Barker Days 2022 was all the more special this year after we missed the past two years due to the pandemic,” said Debbie Wiens, treasurer, Quesnel Billy Barker Days Society. “It was heartwarming to see thousands of people participate in the four days of fun as we support our community and local businesses after a challenging number of years.”
To support this signature event, Northern Development contributed a $5,000 grant through its Fabulous Festivals and Events funding program. This is the fifth consecutive time since 2016 that Quesnel Billy Barker Days has received a grant from the Trust for the festivities. The Trust’s $5,000 grant in 2022 was used to help with the costs of the $20,000 laser show
The Billy Barker Days Festival provides many economic and social benefits to the community of Quesnel. Economically, 10,000 people attend the festival each year, with many travelling to the city from other communities. This brings an immediate benefit to accommodators, restaurants and other tourism-related businesses. Socially, the return of the event after two years brings the community together to enjoy high-quality events, including live entertainment and laser show, with no barriers.
