Honeymoon Bay is once again pulling out all the stops for a fabulous Canada Day weekend. For all other Canada Day events happening on Sunday July 1, in the Cowichan Lake area, see page 1.
Starting on Friday afternoon, June 29, and carrying on until Sunday, there will be plenty of activities for everyone to enjoy.
Bay Days has traditionally been held in August, but starting last year, organizers decided to hold it on the Canada Day long weekend, and this year activities will begin on the Friday evening instead of Saturday morning.
On Friday evening, the Honeymoon Bay Community Society (HBCS) will be hosting an outdoor family movie night. Bring a blanket and pillow, or lawn chair, and make yourself comfortable on the lawn of the Honeymoon Bay Hall.
Movie night will begin with cartoons for the kids at 7 p.m., with Betty Boop, Popeye, and the like. The movie, which shall remain a mystery until that evening, will begin at dusk.
Katrine Winia, one of the organizers and a member of the HBCS says there will be tents for seniors, and she stresses that the movie is not a “mystery,” but a family movie that will remain a surprise for the general public until that evening.
Saturday morning, festivities begin at 11 a.m. with the annual parade which will begin at Lily Beach and will make its way up South Shore Road to the hall.
Pre-registration for the parade is not necessary, so if you would like to participate, organizers say to show up by 10:30 a.m. for the marshalling. A small prize will be given to the best float after the parade finishes its route.
This year there will be between 15 and 20 games for kids, with a couple specifically for adults, during the celebrations on Saturday after the parade. Ticket prices are $3 and under.
This year’s highlight is the Pony Ball Races, where both individuals and groups can participate. This game is basically a race to the finish line on yoga balls equipped with handles, and it is expected to be a ton of fun for all.
“I can picture moms and dads racing against their kids,” says Winia.
Purchasing $1 worth of tickets gets you between one and four players.
This year’s Honeymoon Bay’s Got Talent is a little different from previous years, in that it will begin at 7 p.m. on Saturday.
Mary Egan, a local singer/songwriter will be emceeing the event and playing between local musicians who wish to share their talent with the community.
Anyone can participate, and no pre-registration is required. Merely show up to the event at Central Park, talk to Egan, and get your name on the list.
The talent show will run until the fireworks display, the highlight of the weekend. Fireworks will begin at dusk, around 10 p.m., and can be viewed from Central Park.
Last year the show ran for almost an hour, but usually it runs for between 20 and 30 minutes. For anyone outside the Cowichan Lake area, it is definitely worth the drive.
Free glow sticks will be given out, and visitors are asked to view the show from Central Park.
There will be 50/50 tickets sold between 12 p.m. and 3 p.m., just look for Marian Bates and her volunteer helper. Proceeds go towards the HBCS.
Sunday will begin bright and early with the fireman’s pancake breakfast starting at 8 a.m. at the Honeymoon Bay Hall. The food usually runs out by 11 a.m., just in time for the Canada Day ceremonies to begin.
The ceremony will start with singing the national anthem, followed by the cutting of the cake at 11 a.m.
The HBCS will then hand out the Honeymoon Bay Fire Department Doug Goddard Memorial Scholarship for $500 to a Honeymoon Bay Grade 12 student who plans to, or is enrolled in, three months or more of post secondary education.
To find out more about Honeymoon Bay Days, or other events happening throughout the summer in the area, go to hbcs.ca. And don’t forget to stop by the Honeymoon Bay market on Saturday, located by The Coffee Mill in the heart of Honeymoon Bay.