The 41st annual Sea Cavalcade has drawn to a close under clear blue and sizzling skies, but with an uncertain future.
Lead organizers Barrie Custance and Conchita Harding have decided to step down, but so far, no one else is offering to take over.
"The festival needs to go through a dramatic change," said Harding. "We don't mind being resources. We will know by the middle of September if it flies or doesn't fly."
Harding said this year's festival went well, but numbers were down, she believed, because of the effects of a slow economy causing people to stay home and save their money, intense heat that may have kept people away from the hot pavement and bleachers in Gibsons for Sunday's loggers sports show and a rare electrical storm that ended the street dance early Saturday night.
Another problem dogging the festival in recent years has been the lack of volunteer support.
"We had to cancel some of the children's games because people who had committed [to volunteer] didn't come," said Harding.
The organizing committee was thrifty and able to attain some attractions in exchange for room and food costs, such as the Fraser Blues aerial team, and orange security vests were donated by a group from Vancouver, saving the committee about $300, Harding said.
However, she said the lack of volunteers showed in other instances where safety was involved.
"Parents need to have better control of kids. We don't want to have any close calls. They're curious," she said, noting that young children are unpredictable and were running out to get close to motorized floats during Saturday's parade. "We don't have enough volunteers to protect everyone. We need parents to get involved."
The number of drunk and high teenagers who wanted admittance to the street dance Saturday night also disappointed Harding.
"Please, parents, keep an eye on your teenager. If they want the festival to continue in a family manner, we need people to come out [and help] and keep them [drunk teens] out," she said.
Sunshine Coast RCMP reported no major incidents during the weekend.
"It was a normal Sea Cavalcade from a policing perspective," said Sgt. Russ Howard.
However, he added that police are taking a zero tolerance policy on public drunkenness and open liquor. Howard said several tickets were issued and a few people spent the night sleeping off excessive consumption in detachment cells.
Harding said a planning session will be held in late September with any interested public members and charity clubs or groups who may be involved in carrying on the Sea Cavalcade next year as she and Custance are retiring.
"This is not a Gibsons show. It happens here, but it's a Sunshine Coast show," Harding said. "People might have other ideas. We can have a good recipe if new organizers get involved."
