As is usually the case, there’s plenty of things going on in Penticton - and around the South Okanagan - this weekend.
The 36th Annual Summerland Action Festival promises fun for the entire family.
The fun begins Friday night in Memorial Park. There will numerous tribute bands starting this evening and continuing Saturday and Sunday.
The official opening ceremonies begin at 7 p.m. There will be a fireworks display just after 10 p.m. Friday night.
There will be a beverage garden all weekend. The official parade begins at 10 a.m. Saturday moring.
Summerland Action Festival traditionally attracts 15,000 over the course of the weekend, which is impressive when you consider Summerland’s population is less than half that number.
“We invite everyone to come on down for a full weekend of great entertainment and fun,” said organizing committee chair Pat Bell.
More than 70 slo-pitch balls teams have registered for the annual Action Festival tournament and the tournament will continue at all weekend 12 local ball fields.
The running portion of the Man of Steel Triathlon and popular Giant’s Head Run starts at 6 p.m. at the aquatic centre. A free post-race swim is being offered free of charge at 6:15 p.m.
A complete list of Summerland Action Festival events can be found online at www.summerlandactionfestival.ca.
If you love custom cars and trucks, you might want to make the short drive to Osoyoos to take in the Cactus Jalopies event, which is expected to attract 400 custom vehicles and as many as 6,000 people on Saturday.
This is the 13th anniversary for Cactus Jalopies. While there are other popular custom car shows in Peachland, Penticton and Kelowna every year, Osoyoos’ Cactus Jalopies is the only one that offers four days of fun, said organizing committe chair Gary Dell.
A motorcycle stunt team from Kelowna, featuring Osoyoos’ own Kyle Dimelo, will also return to thrill audiences with their high-flying stunts on a huge ramp set up in the Owl Pub parking lot, said Dell.
Custom car owners from all over British Columbia and dozens from Alberta and Washington State will once again be making the trip to participate in the Cactus Jalopies event.
The actual show and shine has been attracting crowds estimated at between 5,000 and 6,000 people the past few years, but when you combine all of the events over four days, the actual numbers are approaching 10,000, said Dell.
Cactus Jalopies and the motorcycle stunt show are free of charge.
Cars will start setting up in Gyro Park early Saturday morning and members of the public will start viewing the vehicles at 10 a.m.
An organization that provides a myriad of programs and services to women and children who are victims of abuse are hoping for a huge crowd when their biggest annual fundraiser takes place this weekend.
The South Okanagan Women in Need Society (SOWINS) is holding its fifth annual Walk to End Abuse on Sunday, June 3 in Rotary Park in downtown Penticton.
SOWINS has set a goal to raise $50,000 in this year’s event.
“We’re expecting a great crowd … it’s going to be a great event,” said SOWINS' communications co-ordinator Mary-Jo Rusu. “We’ve set this goal of raising $50,000 to help support women and children and I’m very confident we’ll be able to reach that goal.”
The walk involves “a pleasant stroll along Okanagan Lake”, which will be followed by presentation by guest speakers and celebration in Rotary Park.
Sunday’s event begins with check in at 10 a.m. in Rotary Park, with the Walk to End Abuse set for 10:45 a.m.
Donations can be made at www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/south-okanagan-women-in-need-society/p2p/walk.
You can also contact Marni Adams at 250-859-0954 or by email at [email protected].
Penticton’s Beer Run is about much more than having a few pints, says event organizer Mike Hill from Penticton’s Hoodoo Adventures.
“We’re more about showing off our world-class scenery, the amazing beauty of the Okanagan Valley, our fantastic weather and promoting the City of Penticton as a wonderful place to visit. Being able to have a couple of world-class pints of our great craft beer is just part of the fun.”
Last year’s inaugural event attracted 130 participants and close to 250 have signed up for Saturday’s event.
The 10-kilometre course will show of some of the best views in the entire South Okanagan as most of the course is on flat, gentle terrain that can easily be managed by those who will be running and walking, said Hill
Once again, the event will kick off at Square One Hops Farms on Naramata Road and following along the Kettle Valley Railway trails, down Vancouver hill, along Lakeshore Drive, past the SS Sicamous, along the Penticton Channel and back towards downtown, said Hill.
After a few brewery samples and a couple of food and water pit stops, participants will cross the finish line to celebrate in the garden patio at the Kettle Valley Station Pub.
The finish line is located across the street from the morning shuttle pickup location at the South Okanagan Events Centre parking lot.
Penticton Beer Run will include tastings from the Cannery Brewery, Bad Tattoo, Tin Whistle, Barley Mill, Highway 97 and Firehall Breweries.
Smugglers Smokehouse, Patio Burger and Papa John’s Eateries will provide food for all participants.
Proceeds from this event will go towards the Youth Outdoor Recreation Society (YORS), which provides affordable programs for mainstream and at-risk youth to participate in outdoor recreation, education and leadership activities.
The very difficult and challengin sport of ultra-marathon or “trail running” is coming to the Penticton area Saturday.
The Pace Trail Series is holding its inaugural Wild Horse Traverse, which will take competitors 50 kilometres over tough, but incredibly beautiful terrain from Kelowna to the finish line in Naramata.
The Wild Horse Traverse will begin at the crack of dawn at 7 a.m. Saturday on Bertram Beach in Kelowna and proceed over 50 kilometres of destination trail running to the finish line at Naramata Beach, said Steve Taylor, communications specialist for the Pace Trail Series.
Saturday’s race will take roughly 150 participants from Kelowna, through Okanagan Mountain Provincial Park, along the Kettle Valley Railway (KVR), past numerous vineyards and parks on the Naramata Bench and towards the finish line on Naramata Beach.
Anyone wanting more information, can go online and visit www.pacetrailseries.com.
