If you weren't there, you were missing out on a lot of fun.
That was the consensus of opinion flying around the Boundary Dam reservoir beach Saturday afternoon during the second annual Beach Bash.
The event, sponsored by the Woodlawn Regional Park Authority and the Estevan Chamber of Commerce (tourism), was a hit right from the noon hour opening bell.
The newly built dual beach volleyball courts were kept busy all day and even into the evening as the lights came on.
At one point, a count of watercraft in and around the action centre came up with 80 while the head count of beach fans exceeded 1,000, even as more people spilled into the venue as night fell and a fireworks display lit the skies.
A wakeboarding demonstration by local champion Taylor Johnson as the sun slid slowly down into the western skies, kept the beach people enthralled as did the early evening lighting of dozens of Chinese lanterns that lifted upward toward a full moon in a clear sky.
The hot and muggy weather throughout the day was perfect for those who sought out the refreshing waters of the lake.
Those who found their way to the beer garden, and the nearby picnic area were treated to a variety of musical entertainment that included the Third Town Band, Spencer Vaughn Lafrentz, Jen Lane and Smokekiller, Tequila Mockingbird and Third Degree Birnz. That music went on until early Sunday morning.
The beer gardens also played host to over 150 people who gathered around a big screen television to watch the Roughriders versus Alouettes CFL contest in the mid afternoon.
Youngsters were invited to dig up treasures buried in the sand in a certain area of the beach during the day while others swung out over the water on a tree rope, floated in small inflatable dinghies or engaged in chicken fights in the water.
Organizers of the event were all smiles as the lineup grew at the two concession stands, remembering that even though last year's inaugural Beach Bash was dampened by a constant drizzle of rain, the spirits had remained high. That event didn't attract anything similar to Saturday's crowd due to the persistent rain and cooler conditions.
"The official admission count was 1,036, but that doesn't include those who arrived by boat or any of the volunteers," said Rebecca Howie, events manager for the Estevan Chamber of Commerce. She figured the physical body count would be in excess of 1,500 at the peak of activities.
"Clean up on Sunday took most of the day, five volunteers and five park staffers," she added.
There were no major glitches in terms of crowd control or behaviour as the music and fun rolled into early Sunday.
"There was great interaction with the bands. The one concession area was overworked and had a long lineup all day and night, but concession operators from all over the region were invited to set up on Saturday and I guess they chose not to, so it is what it is. I expect the two who were there were pretty happy. They were very busy all day," Howie said.
This year, the weather was co-operative and the community response was hugely encouraging, leaving the Woodlawn Regional Park Authority and local C of C members and administrations, including Howie with encouraging thoughts.
There had been some speculation surrounding the rehabilitation and expansion of the Woodlawn Park system to include the Boundary Dam site, as to whether it would be well-received or needed. That speculation ended on Saturday.
"Oh ya, there will be Beach Bash 3," she said with a laugh.
The planners for the third annual event will know what to expect now and will plan accordingly, which means additional parking.
"We had set out space for 400 vehicles and ended up having to send quite a few into an overflow area," Howie said.
The fireworks display under the direction of Paul Carroll was an evening highlight and he was given full credit for providing a great light show that was within budget and quite spectacular as the fireworks were launched from the lake.
"I don't have the financial results, that was Nathan's (Puffalt, Woodlawn Regional Park supervisor) area, but I know we more than covered costs and we've learned what to expect next year if the weather is good. Nathan and I were in awe of the evening events and the reactions from the people. It was a great day."
Fresh excavation and new sand to create a larger and finely detailed beach, plus full service camping sites, the new beach volleyball courts and groomed grass areas leading to the beach, combined to make a visit to the Woodlawn Regional Park 2 a rewarding experience, especially last Saturday for Beach Bash 2.
