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The 70th annual Penticton Peach Festival opened Wednesday with the roar of jet engines as three aerial shows dazzled crowds along Okanagan Lake.
Despite the smoke filled skies, thousands turned out to watch performances by the Skyhawks parachute team, the CF-18 demo team and an abbreviated show from the Snowbirds.
The day's festivities kicked off with the annual peach bin races, with several local businesses and a team of Snowbirds racing their bins to the finish line, with hopes of winning the event to support a charity of their choice.
"We are here for the peach bin race, hopefully to repeat as champions from 2015," said Snowbird captain Avert Pyne. "The Boys and Girls Club won last year so we are hoping to come back and reclaim the title but there is some pretty good talent in the race this year."
Many spectators anticipated the Snowbirds would win, but they weren't so lucky this year. Greyback Construction took the title, donating their winnings to the Penticton Boys and Girls Club.
The Penticton Peach Festival brings in tourists from all over Canada and is always a huge success, said Mayor Andrew Jakubeit.
"We have been fortunate to have the Snowbirds here a few times but we have never had the parachute team come through and have a CF-18 fly through," Jakubeit said. "I think three aerial shows is really just a sight to see, not just for Pentictonites but for the whole valley, for people to come down and that's one of the great things about Peachfest, it's free and it's for everyone."
Throughout the week and weekend there will be many events for tourists, locals, friends and families to attend.
"Peachfest is Penticton's signature event and this is year 70," Jakubeit said. "It's really exciting because it's multi-generational and it's free entertainment. I think it's the largest free entertainment festival in Canada."
The night closed with musical performances from Cod Gone Wild and 54:40 in front of large crowds in Okanagan Lake Park.
Peach Fest runs through to Sunday night.
