A record number of young entrepreneurs took over the streets of Slave Lake this year on June 13 as Community Futures hosted another successful Lemonade Day event.
“It was a success all around,” says Karen Nadeau, the Lemonade Day coordinator with Community Futures.
“It’s great to see so many kids getting exposed to entrepreneurship and learning skills they can use in the future.”
Nadeau says 29 lemonade stands participated in Slave Lake this year, nearly double the usual number of stands.
“Normally, we have 15 to 17 stands, but this year we have 29,” says Nadeau.
The program, open to students from kindergarten to Grade 12, teaches children the basics of entrepreneurship, including goal setting, budgeting, customer service and business planning. But Nadeau says that most participants are typically in Kindergarten to Grade 6.
Before opening their stands, participants were required to complete Lemonade University, a training session that teaches the skills needed to operate a small business.
Nadeau says the program encourages children to “spend some, save some, and share some,” helping them learn how to manage money responsibly.
Participants set personal spending, savings goals and charitable giving goals as part of their business planning.
A new addition this year was a full-day Lemonade University Camp in Slave Lake for students in Grades 4 to 6. The camp included hands-on activities such as lemonade taste tests, pricing exercises at local stores and business planning activities.
“One of my favourite parts is seeing the creativity that comes out in the kids,” says Nadeau. “They had really creative ideas for their themes and their stands.”
The sunny weather helped make the event even more successful. Nadeau said it was the first sunny Lemonade Day she has experienced since becoming involved with the program four years ago.
“Downtown Main Street was hopping on Saturday with all the lemonade stands,” she says. “Even the stands that were away from Main Street were busy.”
The event also expanded beyond Slave Lake.
Additionally, lemonade stands participated in Wabasca, while six took part in High Prairie.
Community judges visited each stand and selected winners in several categories, Nadeau says.
The Slave Lake winners are Natalie Eben, whose Nat’s Lip Smacking Lemonade earned the award for Best Tasting Lemonade.
Jurassic-Ade, operated by Jake and James Fontanet, Elizabeth Fontanet and Theo Trudel, won the Best Lemonade Stand.
Country Sippin’ Lemonade, run by Sawyer and Nash Perry along with Cooper Loroff, was named the 2026 Youth Entrepreneur of the Year.
In Wabasca, the winners are Charisma Wapahoo, whose Charisma’s Lemonade won Best Tasting Lemonade.
The Fire House Lemonade, operated by Zachery Gladue, Josephy Gladue, Cason Supernault and Kaleigh Supernault, earned the Best Lemonade Stand.
Lil Ladies Lemonade, run by Cee-Anna and Aleina Auger, was named the 2026 Youth Entrepreneur of the Year.
In High Prairie, the winners are Teyha Stout, whose Quack & Sip was recognized for Best Tasting Lemonade.
Freya Beagle, whose Lemonadies earned the award for Best Lemonade Stand.
The Cosmic Lemonade was named the 2026 Youth Entrepreneur of the Year.
Julia Magsombol
Lakeside Leader