Riverboat days, the largest community festival in northwest B.C. is set to begin this weekend.
The week long festivities from Aug 2 to Aug 11 will feature a variety of family-oriented activities including a parade, concerts in the park, and community-sponsored events.
Firing of the cannon will kick off the festivities Aug 2 at 7 p.m. followed by cultural entertainment, refreshments and children’s activities at the official opening ceremonies in George Little Park.
The Skeena Salmon Art Festival will also be opening Aug 2 at 7 p.m. at the Terrace Art Gallery where light refreshments and snacks will be served.
On Saturday, Aug 3, Happy Gang Centre will be serving a pancake breakfast from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The cost is $10 for a full order and $5 for a child or half order.
The iconic Riverboat Days parade with a theme of "Celebrating Terrace's Diversity" will begin at 11 a.m. on Aug 3. The parade starts near City Hall on Lakelse Avenue and travels east to end at the Legion.
This year's parade will feature an exciting lineup of floats from a wide-range of local groups. MP Taylor Bachrach, the Terrace Pipes and Drum, and Kitselas First Nation will join forces with LNG Canada, the Rotary Club of Terrace, and many more, including local businesses and community clubs such as the Terrace Bluebacks Swim Club and North Coast Nightmares roller derby team.
Concerts in the Park will be on the same day from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. at George Little Park, which will be filled with vendors, food and activities all day. This year's headliner is Five Alarm Funk, and will feature special guests such as Dead Sexy; Coastal Drifters; Dr Fishy; Sombre Seas; Sustain; Nell, Dylan & Julia; and The Terrace Pipes and Drums.
City council will start the Aug. 4 festivities with a pancake breakfast from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at George Little Park costing $5 per person or by donation to the food bank.
Church in the Park follows at 11 a.m.
Literary fans will have the opportunity to meet the authors, contributors and descendants of the book 'Gold in the Mountains - Gold Prospecting in the Rosswood/Kalum Lake Area' at Misty River Books from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Mr. Mike's Beach Blast volleyball tournament will start at 11 a.m. on Aug. 4 and go until 5 p.m. and continue Aug. 5 during the same period.
The Terrace Rotary Wild Duck Race is also happening Aug 5, at 10 a.m. at the back channel of the Skeena River at Ferry Island. A total of 3,500 rubber ducks will be dropped from a helicopter into river. The first duck to cross the finish line downstream will win $25,000 for its owner.
The open basketball tournament is happening August 2-5.
The city of Terrace is organizing a free 'Movie in the Park' on Tuesday, Aug. 6 at George Little Park at 10 p.m.
An Artisan Market & BBQ will take place at the Terrace Visitor Centre on Thursday, Aug 8. between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. with barbecue from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.
The Terrace Rod and Gun Club open house is on Saturday, Aug. 10 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The grand opening of RDKS cricket pitch will also take place on the same day from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Thornhill Agricultural Property.
The Northwest Regional Airport Terrace-Kitimat will also be celebrating its 25th year of becoming a society.
Garden tours at various locations across the city from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and a slingers race at The Skeena Bar from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. will take place on Sunday, Aug. 11.
In an exciting addition to this year's Riverboat Days festivities, organizers have announced the debut of a drone show, replacing traditional fireworks for the finale.
The drone show, scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 11 at Christy Park after dark, promises to be a visually stunning experience with 100 drones creating animated patterns in the night sky, according to Riverboat Days organizers.
"When people will see the formations, I'm sure they will be quite excited by them. It'll be a really memorable experience," Coun. Brian Downie said.
