Donald Teuma-Castelletti
CAMPBELL’S BAY
Aug. 17-19, 2018
Since the return of Campbell’s Bay’s Summer Festival, organizers have sought to make it bigger, more entertaining, and attractive to the whole family – and this year may be their hardest to top yet.
Running from Friday through Sunday afternoon, the amount of activities jampacked into one weekend was extraordinary, with something new happening nearly every hour.
Friday started in the evening with a Pontiac youth softball league game at 6 p.m., opening the flood gates for much more fun. Soon after, face painting, the three-pitch tourney, and soap box races started up, along with the ever-entertaining dunk tank started up. Later on, DJ’s would keep the party pumping, with a homerun derby running into the night.
Saturday started with a little bit of everything, from the continuing baseball tournament at 8:30 a.m., there was some yoga happening down at the river, inflatable structures towering alongside the recreation association building, animal shows, the baby zone, balloon art, a fastball exhibition game, performances by bands and solo acts, visits by superheroes, a craft show and more.
Rounding out the evening activities was entertainment from two DJ’s, as well as some late-night activities to test strength and skill. First up was the mechanical bull, providing those brave enough to hop on with plenty of challenge. The crowd cheered and laughed along with the riders, many whom didn’t stand much of a chance against the might of the mechanical beast.
Starting after the ball games wrapped up was a dizzy bat challenge, tempting the crowd with a bit of healthy competition. Participants would spin 10 times around a bat, their head held close to the bat as it pointed to the ground, and then attempt to step up to the home plate for a swing at the ball.
Finally, Sunday rolled around, but still there was no break for the tireless organizers. The three-pitch tourney resumed first thing, but young firefighters-in-training had the chance to compete before noon in a junior firefighters’ competition. While the children were all tuckered out from that, the rest of the family had the opportunity to put their dancing shoes to good use, with live music and dance lessons from tango band Norteño.
Once the dancefloor had been well-worn, the bingo hall opened their doors. Folks could get stamping under the guidance of the Pontiac Lions, which always proves to be a popular activity.
Organizer and town councillor Tim Ferrigan said their Summer Festival has been maintaining the same format in the four years since it’s return, but that they’re constantly growing.
“It’s not super fancy, but it looks after all the demographics,” he said.
Fancy or not, it draws in quite the crowd, seeing many guests flock in from neighbouring municipalities to join the fun. With a free admission, plenty to do, and all proceeds helping to fund a new spot to cool off in town, there was little reason not to hit up the festival.
Ferrigan said that while past proceeds have helped afford public projects like the town mural, the proceeds from 2017 and 2018 have been directed at something the younger crowd will really get a kick out of – a splashpad.
The splashpad will be taking up the location of the old public pool, next to the baseball diamond, and Ferrigan was proud to say that every cent raised at the festival will support this project. They’re able to dedicate the full amount to the splashpad because of the generous support of local sponsors and adhering to a strict budget – something that becomes hard to believe with the sheer amount packed into the weekend, but a fact that Ferrigan and the organizing committee is terribly proud of.
