With thousands of people heading downtown in the coming days for Peach Festival, the City of Penticton is encouraging residents to ride bikes, walk or use transit wherever possible.
Anyone who opts to drive is reminded to anticipate extra foot traffic, parking congestion and road closures, particularly over the weekend.
Peach Festival starts on Wednesday, Aug. 7, and runs until Sunday, Aug. 11. All performances are free and will take place at Okanagan Lake Park, with some activities also being held at Skaha Lake Park and Gyro Park, and Shooting Star Amusements in Rotary Park (Aug. 6-11).
This announcement outlines the major road closures and highlight events.
Getting around
New this year: Ride your bike to the festival and check it in to the free bicycle valet service at Okanagan Lake Park, provided by the City’s Environmental Outreach Ambassadors and Peach Fest volunteers. It will be offered from 12 noon until 11 p.m. daily during the event.
The City has extended its bus services through BC Transit and set up Park ‘n’ Ride locations for the duration of the event. The BC Transit #5 bus will arrive every 30 minutes during the day (until 6:40 p.m.) from Wednesday until Saturday.
Also, a temporary “Peach Fest” bus stop will be set up at Veterans Way near Lakeshore Drive to pick up riders heading southbound after the festival. The last bus leaves the festival site at 11:42 p.m.
Riders are invited to park along the #5 bus route, including Cherry Lane Shopping Centre or Penticton Seniors’ Drop-in Centre (2965 South Main Street), and ride the bus the rest of the way in. The transit fare is $2.25 one way and it’s always free for ages 12 and under.
For more details about the Park ‘n’ Ride options, or to view the Peach Fest transit map, visit penticton.ca/peach-fest.
ROAD CLOSURES
Wednesday, Aug. 7 to Friday, Aug. 9
The opening night of Peach Fest will draw crowds the Okanagan Lake Park area for performances from the Canadian Forces Skyhawks, The Phonix Dance Band and Nazareth.
The stretch of Lakeshore Drive next to Okanagan Lake Park (between Veterans Way and Front Street) will be closed from Aug. 7-9 for the Mega Motocross show.
Also, watch for extra foot traffic around Gyro Park, where the Kids Zone will be held from 9 a.m. until noon during the week.
Performances by Steven Lee Olson on Thursday night, and multiple tribute bands performing Friday night, will draw crowds to Okanagan Lake Park. These are free, family-friendly events; no tickets required.
Saturday, Aug. 10
Expect extensive closures downtown on Saturday morning due to the Peter Bros. Grand Parade, the Penticton Farmers’ Market and Community Market.
The parade closure will be from 7 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Main Street from the north side of Edna Avenue to the north side of Wade Avenue, along Winnipeg Street and then Lakeshore Drive to Riverside Drive. The parade begins at 10 a.m. at Penticton High School and winds its way throughout downtown, ending at the SS Sicamous.
Watch for on-site signage and be aware that street parking will not be permitted along the parade route during the closure.
Performances by Honeymoon Suite and Odds are anticipated to draw extra foot traffic to the Okanagan Lake waterfront in the evening.
Sunday, Aug. 11
A section of Main Street from the north side of Wade Avenue to the north side of Lakeshore Drive will be closed Sunday morning between 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. for the Minuteman Press Kiddies Day Parade, which starts at 11:30 a.m.
Be aware that the Skaha Lake Ultra Swim will also be taking place on Sunday morning, starting at 7 a.m. More than 100 athletes will swim from Skaha Beach to Okanagan Falls.
Performances by The Hip Replacements (Tragically Hip tribute band) and High Voltage (AC/DC tribute band) are expected to draw extra foot traffic to the area in the evening.
Where to find out more
For the full schedule of events, visit peachfest.com
If you’re interested in volunteering, visit peachfest.com/volunteers
For more City information, including details about road closures, visit penticton.ca/peach-fest