Swift Current's largest celebration of the year kicked off in Market Square yesterday morning.

The 79th-annual Frontier Days began around 8 a.m. as Parade Marshal Wade Rempel performed the honours of the burning of the brand.

"Most ranches around the southwest and anybody who's out there ranching with cattle, they brand their calves," Lenora Bells, Event Development Coordinator from the Swift Current Ag & Ex explained. "What happened was we have a Frontier Day's brand, so in order to kick off the festivities we thought (the burning of the brand) would be a great way."

The burning of the brand took place during the annual pancake breakfast, which saw several hundred people in attendance.

Frontier Days' schedule continued in the afternoon with another annual event.

The 2017 SaskTel Kiddies Day Parade took to the streets in downtown Swift Current to add excitement for all ages during the opening day of Frontier Days.

Photo gallery of both events can be seen below.