The Municipality of L’Isle-aux-Allumettes is celebrating another successful Islandfest after expanding several of its events and even offering new events this year.
The annual festival featured an array of fun activities for the whole family, including various sports, live music, a family softball tournament, as well as food and drink.
Recreation coordinator Chantal Lair said that certain events were expanded this year, including the ball tournament, which grew from eight teams to 12.
She said the municipality had intended to have the St. Joseph’s ball field ready for the weekend’s tournament, but due to recent wet weather had not been able to complete the landscaping work in time.
Teams played at the Waltham field, in addition to the Chapeau RA ballfield. After a busy weekend of ball, the Fitzpatrick family took first place while the Gaudettes snagged second.
Lair said this year they tried a teen dance, which she said was successful, although next year they may also invite youth 13 and younger to expand the pool of possible attendees.
As is tradition, the Chapeau Lions Club held its annual duck race on Saturday, where 750 rubber ducks were dumped from the Chichester-Chapeau Bridge into the Ottawa River toward the boat launch on L’Isle-aux-Allumettes.
As the ducks entered sight from the boat launch, Lions members briefly lost control of the rope meant to act as the race’s finish line, dropping one end of the rope in the river. Thankfully, members were able to recover the rope in time for the ducks’ arrival, and fortunately no ducks were lost (or Lions injured) in the process.
In the end, five prizes were awarded for the duck race. First place went to Earla Hynes, second Claire Demers, third Connie Mitchell, fourth Mike Jones and fifth Ivan Schryer.
Lion Luc Vaillancourt said the club sold out of its 750 tickets for the duck race, and had been getting requests for more in the hours leading up to the event. “We could have sold more,” he said.
All proceeds from the duck race will go toward the bowling alley repairs at Harrington Hall, which requires new pinsetter machines to keep its lanes in operation.
Lair said it was nice to see so many people come out to enjoy the festivities, music, weather and most all, each other.
“It’s nice to see everyone come together and enjoy our community, and get to see people they haven’t seen in a while. It’s nice to see the families come together for the ball games, because people plan their holidays around this.”
