After a one-year hiatus, Honeymoon Bay Days was back in full force last weekend, thanks to support from multiple organizations including Cowichan Lake Recreation and the Honeymoon Bay Fire Rescue Society.
The annual event kicked off with a short parade from the farmer’s market to the community hall. It featured a convoy of fire trucks from departments around the Lake and from Duncan, costumed revellers tossing candy and floats from area business and the Lady of the Lake royalty, in their first parade since their coronation at Lake Days last month.
At the community hall there was live music, food and games for the children.
This year also included the event’s very first Show ‘n Shine classic or custom car show, which was organized by Tim Hagerman.
“It took some travelling. I travelled around to a bunch of car shows and handed out flyers and got the word out online,” he said. There was no entrance fee for the event and more than 20 motorists from throughout the Cowichan Valley came by to show off their rides. “[They are] from Honeymoon Bay, Duncan, Lake Cowichan, Cobble Hill and Shawnigan Lake.”
Hagerman said they plan to host another Show ‘n Shine at next year’s Honeymoon Bay Days.
Last year Bay Days did not run, in part because of a lack of volunteers. Linda Blatchford, manager of Cowichan Lake Recreation, said she was not aware of the details behind Bay Days cancellation last year, but said the event faced a similar challenge most community organizations face: the same core group of volunteers having to do everything, year after year.
“We stepped in and said we could help out and be a partner. So this is our first year helping out,” she said. “The whole event is led by the Honeymoon Bay Community Society.”
Blatchford said it’s important to keeps these events alive.
“Bay Days has been going on forever here and every community needs to have its event,” she said.
The other partner in this year’s event was the Honeymoon Bay Fire Rescue Society, which hosted the pancake breakfast at the community hall Saturday morning.