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Another successful Summerfest
by Michelle Minnoch

With next to perfect weather, this past weekends Summerfest, presented by Area Productions, proved to be another successful one. With an array of activities and events for the young and the young at heart, there was plenty of fun to go around for everyone.

The Friday and Saturday night bands, Legend in Black and Legends of London, were a great choice. People (including myself) danced the night away, had a few drinks and sang along to the tunes we know and love. The opening band on Friday evening, the Rick Greenside Band featuring Catherine Watson, was fabulous and here's hoping they are invited back again next year.

As you may well remember, last year the Barrie paper's labeled the event "Drunkfest" and focused on the trouble at the park. Well, this year, with the increased police presence and the signs stating the "Zero Tolerance" rule for the park, little trouble was to be had. Sure, there will always be a few in the crowd; there's always bad apple in the bushel. But focusing on the few individuals that decide to act unacceptable in public is not what it's about - it's about the other 99.99% that had a great time and acted accordingly.

While I was there to "work" - get photos of the bands, people having a good time - I can honestly say everyone I spoke to (and there were a lot, as I heard "Hey Scope" on more than one occasion) were there to have a drink or two, and listen to some great music.

About 1900 people attended the show Saturday night, and more were in the area, watching the fireworks light up the sky just after the sun went down.

The Kids Fishing Derby on Saturday morning was another family favourite this year.

Kudos goes out to the organizers and the sponsors of the kids fishing event. The prizes given to all participants were outstanding, again, made possible from the sponsors and those running the derby, ensuring everyone went home with something, even if the fish weren't going after their bait that morning.

With the South Simcoe Police and the Fire and Rescue Paramedics on-hand giving demonstrations, residents were able to witness first hand how these important members of our community work, ensuring safety for all.

The Innisfil Pipes and Drums, celebrating their 30th year this Sunday with a tattoo at the Lefroy Arena, performed on Sunday, giving us a taste of their talents and what we can expect at the free event. Under the hot sun, they played flawlessly, dressed in their tartan, marching on cue, and entertaining the crowd.

Innisfil Community Events Corporation (ICE Corp.) should be applauded for putting in tireless hours over the course of the three day event. Made up of volunteers, members of ICE Corp. work their regular jobs during the week, and donate their time to ensure residents have a successful event. Without these dynamic citizens of our community, events such as these would not be possible.

With summer into full swing, remember there will still be many more activities for you to get out and enjoy.