Organizers promise two days full of family fun for Texada Island’s 28th annual Sandcastle Weekend, taking place Saturday, July 21, and Sunday, July 22. Though the sandcastle competition is still the heart of the weekend, this year’s celebration boasts everything from bed races to bicycle decorating to beer gardens.
Festivities kick off Saturday at 10 am with some pre-parade bicycle decorating just south of Gillies Bay Ball Park. Then at 11 am, the parade of floats, vehicles and bikes will make its way to the RCMP station, to be greeted with trophies and some water pistol fun.
Over at the ball park, both days will be filled with slow-pitch tournaments and a beer garden sponsored by the Royal Canadian Legion, Texada Branch 232. Topping it off is a sure-to-be-delicious pork roast starting Saturday at 5 pm.
Another action-packed highlight of the weekend will be the annual bed races. Teams of five race one at a time through an obstacle course on beds equipped with plastic wheels. The best time takes home the prize.
Sunday starts bright and early with a sunrise worship service at 7:30 am, followed by a scrumptious pancake breakfast at the community hall.
Over on the seashore, sculptors ranging from amateur to expert will attempt to create a prize-winning sandcastle. Presentation of the people’s choice trophies afterwards will take place at 3 pm in the ball park.
Other family-friendly activities throughout the weekend include a children’s fish pond, a lip sync contest, and a laser light show. Vancouver’s Spanish Flyers Skim Club will also be offering free skimboarding lessons all weekend.
In an effort to keep the celebrations green, Lafarge-Texada Quarrying will be collecting used oil and antifreeze products throughout the weekend, to be disposed of safely.
For more information, interested readers can visit the website or call Elayne Boloten at 604.486.7457.
