Last weekend, hundreds of Pontiac residents convened at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Fort-Coulonge for the town’s annual Bazaar for some leisure and entertainment in support of a local charity group.

Organized by the town’s Knights of Columbus fourth degree branch with help from the local Daughters of Isabella and other volunteers, the event served as a summer celebration for locals while raising money for the community.

According to the organization’s Grand Knight Jeannot Bilodeau, the event is an important one for the community that means a lot to him personally.

Having taken place on every Father’s Day since even before he was a kid, the event is a great excuse to get together with local church members, residents and outsiders and enjoy the weekend.

Typically, the event requires around 90 volunteers to coordinate outdoor activities, live music and the supper among other things. But this year, things had to be scaled down a few notches due to inclement weather, which took a hit on another significant municipal event.

“For sure, we have less people,” he said. “The games attracted the youth and with the music it attracted people as well. And Saturday we were supposed to have Village en Fete but it got cancelled, so [the rain] doesn’t help really.”

Under rainy, grey skies all day on Saturday, the event was reduced to a simple sit-down dinner.

A group of local musicians were originally set to perform on a stage outside the building, but unfortunately those plans got cancelled.

On Sunday, the sun finally came out and with it a number of fun activities took place including a Bingo game, which stole the attention of a large portion of attendees.

With over 600 people attending the event over the two days, residents didn’t let the gloomy weather dampen their spirits and the event remained a success despite the heavy showers.

Meals were prepared by Knights of Columbus member Willy Ladouceur along with a large gang of volunteers, including Mansifeld et Pontefract Mayor Gilles Dionne working hard in the kitchen.

Among the delicious food available were the Famous Sea Pies, homemade beans and a plethora of decadent butterscotch pie for dessert, along with a load of other delicacies.

For Bilodeau, the most enjoyable part about being involved in the event is helping out with the pie-making.

Despite taking a lot of time and labour, making people’s day one delicious slice at a time is something he looks forward to every year.

“For sure, it’s not funny for us – we’re working,” he said. “But, besides that it’s going very well.”

All funds raised from the event are to go back to the hall to pay for repairs and renovations, Bilodeau said.

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