WEYBURN – In the coming days and weeks, Weyburn residents may by chance, or on purpose, see a clay gnome in a peculiar location, and wonder why it’s there.
The brightly-coloured gnomes were placed there by a member of the Weyburn Arts Council, or someone who joined the “Rollin’ with the Gnomies!” Facebook page, and are hoping other people will see and find the whimsical creatures and rehide them again. (And, post a photo of the found gnome.)
Regan Lanning, curator for the arts council, noted that she and other members of the Weyburn Arts Council got together one afternoon and built the gnomes, then she and a WAC member finished off their glazing a couple days later.
“The idea came to us from a Southeast District lunchtime information session on wintertime programming,” said Lanning. “We’re doing it to help beat the February blues so many of us experience. It’s something to get the people out of their houses, something fun to do and look for while out and about in Weyburn.”
She noted that WAC is releasing two more gnomes, Talulah and Winston, this week, and the rest will be released over the next couple weeks.
“Each gnome will have a name and a little back story. We will do an introduction post the day before they are hidden,” she said, noting that Wilfred has been found and rehid three times as of Tuesday afternoon.
“I was so excited to see people participating in the program,” said Lanning, and added the WAC invites anyone of any age who wishes to take part to click onto the Facebook page and join, and like any of the photos that show up or go looking for a gnome when it’s posted they’ve been hidden somewhere in the city.
The Weyburn Arts Council is also going to hold a snowman building contest for much the same reason, and give people a chance to win a prize.
“Starting Family Day (Feb. 20), we will be holding a Snowman Building challenge, inviting community members to build a snowman and send us a picture of it. We will post reels of the snowmen pictures we get. Everyone who sends up a picture will be entered to win a free kids pass to the Spark Centre,” explained Lanning.
“These are just fun and simple winter things that will get people involved in something, and beat those winter blues.”
