Rosebud reawakens to relief of its businesses

By Sean Feagan, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

In Rosebud, the show must go on, even if its theatre remains sidelined due to COVID-19.

Rosebud, Alta., a hamlet featuring a vibrant arts community revolving around its theatre, was bustling on Saturday, Aug. 15. While the Rosebud Theatre remains closed due to the ongoing pandemic, outdoor concerts and a vendor market had people visiting the hamlet and supporting its businesses once again.

The events will keep Rosebud “in the minds, plans and lives of former guests,” and will “reach out to a new genre of guests to come – ones who might be more visual-art focused,” said Valerie Speer, president of the Rosebud Art Collective.

The turnout shows that “Rosebud lives,” said Morris Ertman, the theatre’s artistic director.

The Artist + Artisan Market, organized by the Rosebud Art Collective, featured 43 vendors positioned along Main St., which was blocked off for pedestrian traffic only during the event.

The day also featured two performances by Christina Colyn, a Calgary-based singer-songwriter, as part of the 2020 Rosebud Outdoor Summer Concerts. Put on by the Rosebud Festival Society, these concerts started with performances by the Evanston Symphony Orchestra in July. The concerts are held in a green space beside the theatre featuring six-by-six squares so groups can enjoy the music while remaining distant from one another.

“It meant we could have way less people, but we could do it safely,” said Paul Muir, Rosebud Theatre’s education director. “They sold out – with physical distancing.”

Seeing this success, the series was extended into August, with John Wort Hannan set to play on Aug. 22, and duo Lewis and Royal scheduled for Aug. 29 and 30.

This summer concert series provides a chance for people to reconnect with Rosebud, said Colyn, after her show. “A lot of people are really missing that – this type of thing really brings people back and keeps the town in people’s minds,” she said.

The Rosebud Mercantile is also up and running by offering takeaway meals from a different menu every weekend, despite its dining room remaining closed. There are many options of where to eat, including on the outside deck of the Mercantile, in the picnic shelter or in any of the town’s greenspaces, said Muir.

The theatre recently decided to cancel its fall show, Silent Sky. However, the Rosebud Art Collective is holding Rosebud Plein Air Paint-Out from Sept. 18 to 20, for which artists are being invited to paint the local landscape featuring the Rosebud river valley and surrounding rolling hills.

While these efforts are “not big moneymakers,” they are keeping Rosebud connected to its patron base, said Muir. “We plan to start up again at some point and we don’t want people to forget about us.” he said.

The theatre is still planning its Christmas show. But due to physical distancing requirements, the show, if held, will be a “break-even venture” at best. “Instead of selling a capacity of up to 230 people, we’re going to be down to about 50 people at full capacity,” said Muir.

While these efforts provide a morale boost for the community, the theatre is still in a precarious position. “We’re going to be hitting wall after wall after wall in 2021,” noted Muir. “Although we’re optimistic and excited to do these things and be able to look forward to a Christmas show, we’re far from being out of the woods.”

Nevertheless, members of the Rosebud business community are grateful to have visitors walk its streets once again.

Times have been tough with the theatre closed, said Rob Webster, owner of Backstage Gifts and former technical director of the theatre. “We have had no income,” he said. “I shut down the power here and totally went off grid. I’ve got solar and batteries going, and that’s just to stave off the monthly payment.”

But now with the summer concerts, “people are in all the time,” he said.

The events give the community needed exposure, said Maki Van Dyke, who works at the Rosebud Mercantile. “It shows people that Rosebud is still a fantastic tourist destination, where you can fill your soul with music and visual art, and of course, culinary art as well.”

This exposure will help bring a new following to Rosebud, said Hayley Rosenau, manager of Kith and Kin Artisan Wares. “It’s going to help so much, by drawing people who haven’t heard of the theatre or have not yet come,” she said. “It’s a great way to get the word out there.”

The event last weekend gave a boost to Rosebud’s bed and breakfasts as well. “I had some guests as a result of the market and live music event,” said Speer, who is also owner of the Arbour Guest House B&B, which recently won a Trip Advisor Travellers’ Choice Award.

“It’s nice to have the town with even half the traffic, and have people come in and see it busy,” said Cory Eliuk, who alongside wife Kari, own the Banks and Braes. About 40 couples stopped by and checked out the bed and breakfast, which the Eliuks constructed as a Georgian-style house.

The market gave vendors a chance to show their wares in a time when there are few opportunities to do so, said Dianne Gauvreau, an artist known as Govrox who also works as an art therapist.

Exposure to art could help people face the challenges of the pandemic, she said. “The circumstances are very hard,” said Gauvreau. “It’s very important that people get engaged and explore their creativity in a good, healthy way.”