For many residents, Metchosin Day is like Christmas come early.
They have the chance to spend time with family, visit with neighbours that may have been away throughout the summer, and celebrate what makes the municipality special.
And this year’s highly anticipated Metchosin Day promises that and more, as the 50th annual daylong fair is Sunday, Sept. 10.
“The neatest thing is seeing the community come together. It’s a chance to just celebrate Metchosin,” said event chairperson, Mary Gidney. “We have no sewers, we have no street lights, we have no sidewalks – we’re country. Metchosin likes to be the way it is.”
The festivities begin with a five-kilometre run around the district, ending at the municipal grounds (4450 Happy Valley Rd.) Throughout the day, there will be more than 100 vendors selling vegetables, meat, fruits, crafts and artisan creations.
There will also be a pet show beginning at 11 a.m., children’s games at noon and a beer garden, as well as demonstrations by local gymnasts, the 4H club, cricket players and motorcyclists. Bands including Tan and Hide, Seacruze, and Fat Cats will provide entertainment on the main stage throughout the day.
Metchosin Day started in 1967 as a barbecue by Witty’s Beach, said Gidney, but has since grown into an event that attracts more than 5,000 people annually. As part of the 50th anniversary, organizers are bringing the event back to its roots with most vendors and entertainers from Metchosin.
“We’re going back to the good olde days,” said Gidney, adding the hayride and a turn on the backhoe digger are 25 cents and 50 cents – the same price they were when the first Metchosin Day originally kicked off.
Scouts will also be selling burgers and hot dogs, and the day wraps up with a salmon and lamb barbecue for $20 at 5 p.m.
Metchosin Day takes place Sunday, Sept 10 from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Parking and admission are free. For more information visit metchosinday.ca.
