Bay Day is back Saturday

CONSTANCE BAY – For the first time in five years, the summer festival Bay Day is returning to Constance Bay.

The Constance and Buckham’s Bay Community Association (CBBCA) is bringing back a slightly abbreviated version of the former weekend-long event that shared the name if only in the plural (Bay Days).

It will be a day-long celebration of Constance Bay with the highlight of the day sure to be the March Road Pet Beauty Pageant.

Bay Day will be held Saturday, Aug. 20 from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the NorthWind Wireless Fibre Centre (262 Len Purcell Dr.) and features a full day of fun and activity for all ages. It’s the first time the event has been held since 2017, held amazingly during record-breaking flooding that same year.

“It’s the infamous return of Bay Days,” CBBCA director Kate Hehir told West Carleton Online last week (Aug. 9). “But we’re easing back in to it. After COVID-19, we’re just seeing what volunteers we can get and what the community interest is.”

Tell that to Saturday, which will be busy all day long.

World famous Constance Bay pickleball gets underway at 10:30 a.m. to noon. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. there is a penny auction. The Constance Bay Community Market makes its 2022 return with the start of its monthly market which will go through to December. Local volunteer firefighters from Ottawa Fire Services Station 63 in Constance Bay will operate their fire safety house. Starting at 11 a.m. is the pet beauty pageant.

“There are some fun things going on and you can walk away with something for yourself and your pretty pooch,” Hehir said.

There will be bouncy castles, games and amusements on site as well as music by Whiskey Mike and Friends. The Bay Waves Square Dancing Club will also be on hand to provide some fun, brief lessons during the afternoon.

“We’re looking to have folks come out and enjoy the day,” Hehir said. “We have such a great community, but we’ve been restricted the last few years. Now we have some new CBBCA board members, we have some desire to have some fun, new events. This is an example of a great way to get together.”

Hehir says Bay Day is still seeking volunteers, vendors and sponsors and if you are interested, you can contact CBBCA organizers here.

“We really need some more volunteers,” Hehir said. “We’re hoping this event will inspire more volunteers to come out.”