Was it the heat and people choosing to stay inside, or are some of us taking Sea Cavalcade for granted?
Attendance was noticeably down for several events at last weekend's festival in Gibsons. The family day in the park on Saturday had lots of families out, but nowhere near the number of people we've seen in previous years. The same goes for the loggers' sports at the Wharf on Sunday.
It could have been the extremely hot weather, and people chose to beat the heat with a cool drink on their deck. But we have another theory.
We overheard one gentleman comment during the parade that the parade marshall was doing a lousy job and the parade was moving too slowly. We heard another few saying later in the park that there weren't enough activities to choose from and the event was "boring."
Boring? Not enough activities? Not likely. The volunteers for Sea Cavalcade work their tails off all year preparing for the weekend festival. It's the same small group of people who work tirelessly every year. Despite asking - no, check that, pleading - for more people to step up and volunteer, not too many others help out.
We wonder if that man who complained about the parade considered volunteering his services? We doubt it. It's so easy to complain and pass judgment, but we'd like to see one of these naysayers put their money where their mouth is and walk the walk instead of just talking the talk.
There are several other events in the next few weeks. The Arts Festival and Festival of the Written Arts in Sechelt, Fibre Arts in Gibsons and the Jazz Festival in September in Pender.
We hope everyone on the Coast embraces these events, joins in the festivities and remembers to thank the many volunteers who give up their time to put these events on. If we take these events for granted, we may see them come to an end.
Sarah rocksThe journey for Sarah Loverock ended on Canadian Idol Tuesday night.
We're sad to see her leave. She represented herself with class and dignity and showcased the Sunshine Coast with pride. Despite her disappointment, she told Canada that this wasn't the end, only the beginning. We can't wait to see what she has in store for us.
Congratulations, Sarah. Thanks for being such a great ambassador for the Sunshine Coast. We're all proud of your accomplishments.
