Urban Ax Throwing. It’s a Thing.

We were wandering the Alberta Street Fair: food booths, clothing, community service, health products, jewelry, face painting, ax throwing. You heard it right. A confident young man demonstrated proper technique and then these women took turns flinging rather substantial looking tools at targets some feet away. One of the players has just sunk her ax into the target; the other is taking aim. They were in a large cage so it seemed relatively safe, if incomprehensible. Our 20-something companion assured us that this urban sport is fast becoming a trend—her friend recently hired an ax throwing unit to turn up as the entertainment for her birthday party, and several bars feature competitions to promote new products. Beer and axes—makes you wonder. Today’s version seemed to be raising money to combat cancer. Cancer sucks. Can’t quarrel with that.

And in the Weird Juxtaposition Department, the ax trailer was parked in front of a shop that seemed to feature racks of used wedding dresses.