For the first time in about six years, Benny Birch’s birthday party won’t see a single drop of rain.
The forecast for the weekend long event, which started on Friday, called for mostly sunny skies. Although rain is forecasted, the downpour is expected to hold off until after the event is over.
That came as welcome news to Katrina O’Neil, executive director for St. Joseph’s Foundation of Thunder Bay.
Traditionally, there’s been rain on one of the three days. O’Neil said she’s happy to hear that the rain will fall sometime Monday even though volunteers will be cleaning up.
She called it a perfect weekend.
“This is going to be the best year we’ve had in over six years,” she said. “We haven’t had a Friday in a long time it is usually rained out. That was a bonus. People are just coming in. It is the weather.”
The 32 annual event at Chippewa Park featured a number of free activities aimed at bringing in more children. O’Neil said they wanted to do as much as they could for families to come out and enjoy themselves.
About 1,500 people attended the first day of the festivities and O’Neil suspected that about 2,000 will have come out to the park by the end of Saturday.
She suspected that part of the success of Benny Birch is that it many generations of family have attended.
“Kids came here they grew up, had their own kids and now sometimes it is their grandchildren,” she said. “They have fond memories of Benny Birch’s birthday party and they keep bringing their kids back year after year.”
All proceeds raised goes towards the programming at St. Joseph’s Care Group.
Joe Millar was enjoying the weather with his three sons. The family drove six hours from Pickle Lake to see what Benny Birch was about.
“First time here and it is great,” Millar said. “It’s also the first time eating elephant ears.”
Millar said his hometown doesn’t have an event that celebrates a tree but instead has a black fly festival.
Millar and his family weren’t the only ones trying Benny Birch’s for the first time.
Marie Gale and her family also came the birthday party. She said they often come to the park but not to the annual event.
She said they enjoyed the weather, the rides and the good foods available.
“There’s nothing much to do rest of the year,” she said. “It’s nice to have an activity. The kids can interact with other kids.”
She added that they would be definitely be back next year.
Benny Birch’s wraps up at 5 p.m. Sunday.
