Tell your neighbours and friends that Honeymooon Bay Days is this weekend.
Traditionally held in August, organizers have decided to take a shot at hosting the event over the Canada Day long weekend this time around.
The events will mainly take place Saturday, July 2, feeding off the previous day's Canada Day celebrations around Cowichan Lake (see Page 1).
"The main thing was that over the last two years the fire bans stopped the fireworks show," one of the event's organizers, Ray Wear, said.
Bay Days excitement will begin in the same fashion as usual; with the Bay Days Parade beginning at 11 a.m., which will move its way across the community and into Central Park.
Unique to this year's parade will be the Victoria Fire Department Historical Society's collection of antique firefighting equipment,
Spearheaded by summer Honeymoon Bay resident Dave Noren, the Firebells and Fanfare Antique Equipment show will add something unique to this year's parade. One of the more impressive items in the parade will be the group's 1899 steam pumper.
The group will also bring in a 1927 Studebaker; a twin to another such vehicle in Youbou, which will also be in the parade.
The Honeymoon Bay Fire Department plans on walking their old hose reel, which was used in the Honeymoon Bay Mill, in the parade. A couple of volunteer firefighters planned on re-painting the item beforehand.
After the parade, the equipment will all be parked outside of the Honeymoon Bay Community Hall, where it will remain on display throughout the afternoon. The steam pumper will be demonstrated at this point.
"There are lots of kids games," Wear said, of the excitement planned to take place at the Honeymoon Bay Community Hall area. "It's going to be a fun-filled day. It'll be a blast."
The annual Honeymoon Bay's Got Talent show will take place from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. alongside a concession stand and various kids' activities.
Another unique thing to this year's event will be friendly games of bocce ball. Sponsored by the Honeymoon Bay Lawn Bowling Club, it'll be a means of drawing attention to the group's ongoing efforts to rehabilitate the community's overgrown lawn bowling greens that are located near the front of Central Park, toward South Shore Road.
The evening will be filled out by a pot luck dinner at the hall, from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., followed by a movie. For the first time in three years, the long-bragged about Honeymoon Bay Firemen's Association fireworks display will then take place at dusk.