Community groups getting in on full April Fools spirit

A police dog and a police cat are pictured side by side in social media post for an April Fools joke by the Barrie Police Service. (Barrie Police Service/Facebook)

April Fools isn’t just for fooling your friends and family. Simcoe County businesses and community organizations are getting in on the fun and pranking the public.

Boots and Hearts

Boots and Hearts, the annual country music festival that takes place at Burl’s Creek Event Grounds in Oro-Medonte, made a social media post titled, “Important Festival Update,” alerting people of a fully alcohol-free festival experience this summer.

The post went on to say beverage options will be replaced with alternatives like a kombucha bar.

Towards the end of the post was a confession that the change is in the wrong direction and bars will very much be open during the festival.

Libraries

The New Tecumseth Public Library announced on Facebook it would be renaming one of its branches, in honour of Alliston’s strong roots in potato farming. The new name replacing the Memorial Branch would be Mr. Potato Head Branch.

The Facebook post went on to read, “Because when it comes to influential figures…it’s hard to top a legend of this calibre.”

The Barrie Public Library posted on its social media that holds would be discontinued due to popular demand.

Barrie police

Even the Barrie Police Service got in on April Fools introducing the public to its newest recruit, a police cat named Jax.

The social media post explained Jax specializes in hard-to-reach areas during searches. It went on to say the police cat would make a good team with the police dog due to its agility, curiosity and attention to detail.

Town of Bracebridge

The Town of Bracebridge posted on its social media that it will supposedly introduce an ice cream tax. The Facebook post said the tax is designed to support local tourism. It even said it would be bringing in enhanced enforcement through the Ice Cream Compliance and Confections Control, overseeing everything ice cream-related like cone-to-cup ratios.

While it was clear through the comments some people were fooled and others were not, the posts certainly acted as an effective engagement tool.