Cowichan Lake Days is "keeping it country" again this year as the week-long festival continues until Sunday.
On Friday night, everyone lucky enough to have tickets will be dressing up for the Lady of the Lake Grand Ball. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. at Centennial Hall.
However, if you didn't get a ticket, there is still entertainment on tap at the Saywell Park stage in town. From 6 to 7:30 p.m., you can listen to local performers and then, from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m., it's time for Terry Brennan.
Saturday is the central day of the entire festival and it all kicks off with Breakfast on the Town, from 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the municipal hall. Everyone goes to meet friends for a bite before deciding where to sit for the grand parade, which begins at 11 a.m. South Shore Road will be closed during the parade from Neva Road by OK Tire through to Wellington Road by Saywell Park, so be ready for that if you arrive late in town.
Once the parade passes by, the fun moves to Saywell Park.
There are logger sports exhibitions from 12:30 to 2 p.m. but everything, including the power saws, stops completely at 2 p.m. as the crowd surges towards the Saywell Park stage for the annual crowning of the Lady of the Lake.
If you've never been to Lake Days before, this is a sight to remember, and if you're a regular, you know that everyone is sure to be there, eager to see if his or her favourite candidate is chosen as the next Lady of the Lake.
After that, the lively band Mazimba Marimba will entertain as the logger sports exhibition continues and then from 4 to 7 p.m., Jan Matthews in Overdrive takes over the Saywell Park stage as organizers get ready of the Town of Lake Cowichan steak dinner, which is hosted and served by members of town council, starting at 6 p.m. No tickets are available at the park, though, so check the town office before Saturday to see if any are left.
Finally on Saturday, from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. adults can dance the night away at a special event at the Cowichan Lake Sports Arena featuring Cosmic Video Dance Party. Tickets are $15 each and doors open at 8:30 p.m. On Sunday morning, events reconvene at Saywell Park, starting at 10 a.m. with Build, Bail and Sail construction.
Meanwhile, families will be gathering near the stage for the popular Baby of the Lake contest that begins at 11 a.m. At noon, the plastic birds go in the river for the annual Kinducky Derby and they'll float down to the car bridge where the eventual winner is determined.
From noon, to 3 p.m. there will be children's races at Saywell Park and at 1 p.m., the Build, Bail and Sail Races run.
Still at Saywell Park, from 1 to 4 p.m. Eddie and the Funk will perform and at 3 p.m., the road hockey finals wind up a sensational weekend of fun at the Lake.