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S.S. Sicamous celebrating anniversary with pirate festival

Celebrate Father's Day in swashbuckling fashion with the longest slip and slide around, plus other family fun
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Dad

Arrgh matey, this Sunday in recognition of the 100th birthday of the S.S. Sicamous and Father’s Day, a special Pirate Fest for kids and families is happening at the venerable paddle wheeler and spilling over next door to LocoLanding Adventure Park.

From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. young pirates (there will be prizes for the best costumes) will have an opportunity to duel with balloon swords, walk the plank, search for buried treasure and do craftwork, including building their own sailboat.

According to organizer Diana Stirling, LocoLanding owner, a highlight of the festival will be Penticton’s largest one-day slip and slide where those brave enough will be able to get a running start before launching themselves onto the 20-metre sheet which begins at the Sicamous and winds up in Okanagan Lake.

“Everybody, especially kids, love pirates and we wanted to do something nautical for the S.S. Sicamous and also something that really, really resonated with dads and by far pirates seem to be the attraction,” said Stirling.

“Also it’s never been done in Penticton and we just think it would be a really great tradition to start and grow on.

“The Sicamous is a big historical attraction in our community and we need to celebrate it more and something like this will hopefully tie the community closer together and make it full of life for families even more than it already is.”

Dads will pick up some of the extra booty available in the form of free activities at LocoLanding which includes mini-golf, go-karts, bumper boats and the high-level ropes course.

The idea for the festival, according to Stirling is building on the success of the LocoLanding Easter Egg hunt which has raised thousands of dollars for the OSNS Child Development Centre the past two years and attracted huge crowds.

There will be a $5 registration fee for children on site with proceeds going to the SS Sicamous Restoration Society.

During the fest there will be rations of food fit for pirates, including hot dogs and other snacks with the official birthday-cake-cutting celebration at noon.

But there is more.

Out on the water, kids will have the chance to captain their own kayaks with Hoodoo Adventures.

On land, kids can try their hand at paddle boarding with Glow SUP Adventures or building boats with Lego stations from Bricks4Kidz.

During the day DJ Nathan Shakes will be spinning the tunes.

“I think it’s a great idea and it involves the kids a little bit more and every time we involve kids it’s always a success,” said Sicamous manager Don Wright.

“Having Diana and LocoLanding involved is really great.

“We’ve been fortunate to have lots of attention in the last year or so, but you know what, you can never have enough.

“It is such an important part of our heritage we wanted to do something which was fun and different. Who wouldn’t want to be a pirate for the day?”