For those few people who really don’t realize all that’s going on during Billy Barker Days, just take a peek at the program. Your biggest problem will be scheduling everything you want to do because each of the four festival days are jam packed with activities. From July 14 – 17 there’s something for everyone with leftovers.
The Billy Barker Days office is open now in LeBourdais Park and the information kiosk is open on Reid Street where you can pick up entry forms for the many contests and draws including Billy Buttons, the colouring contest, tickets for the Billy Barker Days Dance, the amateur photo contest, Selfies with Billy contest, Quest for Trivial contest as well as information on the myriad of activities throughout the festival. Grab a program for $1 and all the information is available all the time. A must do-ahead of time is purchasing tickets at Circle ‘S’ Western Wear for the Rodeo Barn Dance Saturday night. This is a very popular dance and tickets go fast.
Ongoing activities include the Friendship Stage entertainment and Shooting Star Amusements as well as 50/50 draw ticket sales and are punctuated with pancake breakfasts at the Legion Saturday and Sunday morning, The Rotary Club of Quesnel’s Saturday morning pancake breakfast in the Safeway parking lot and many vendors in the Gold Dust Mall all four days. While you wander the busy streets of Quesnel, take a moment to admire the beautifully decorated business windows.
The action kicks off on Thursday with Seniors Day in the Park from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. and winds up with a bang at the Gold Pan Speedway with Crash to Pass, a perennial favourite during the festival. Get there early as the action starts at 5 p.m. but traffic can be difficult.
Friday is the day to bring the kids down to LeBourdais Park for crafts, games and stage entertainment, along with the midway and several food vendors.
For kids 10 – 15, there’s a treasure hunt beginning at noon and the evening stage entertainment features Nightrain, a Guns and Roses Tribute Band. And don’t forget the rodeo springs into action Friday night, all day Saturday and finals on Sunday.
Saturday, Quesnel and especially LeBourdais Park is hopping. The parade begins at 10 a.m. (check the program for parade route or stop by the Billy Barker Day office or information booth), parade watchers arrive in the park just in time for the pie-eating contests, at 1 p.m., then over to The River Rock Pub for a 3 p.m. hot dog eating contest, back to the park for Karaoke Finals at 5 p.m., then relax and get ready for an outstanding concert by one of Canada’s premier bands Chilliwack.
If track racing is your passion, the BC Motocross Championship Cup is running practices on Saturday 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. and race day Sunday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. at the Oval Track.
There’s also stock car racing action at the Quesnel Gold Pan Speedway beginning at 4:30 p.m. Saturday including Wescar late model series 100 lap main, Quesnel Iron street stocks and the Fireworks Warehouse Mini stock.
Just when you thought you might relax on Sunday, don’t even think of missing the Billy Barker Slam Jam, 1 – 3 p.m. in Quesnel’s skate park, the Teddy Bear Clinic in LeBourdais Park from 1 – 3 p.m., the results of the various contests and draws beginning at 4 p.m. and of course the spectacular fireworks Sunday night at dusk (about 10:40 p.m.)
So plan you Billy Barker Day schedule with care, there’s lots to see and do all over town.
Pick up your program for $1 and get set for the time of your life.