Smoky skies could ground Snowbirds

Smoke could result in cancellations at tonight’s Penticton Air Display, but the show will go on.

Peachfest executive member Ernie Blumke confirmed Tuesday that the Canadian Forces Skyhawks Precision parachute team will jump as scheduled at 5 p.m., landing in a ring at Okanagan Lake Park.

However the status of the RCAF Snowbirds as well as the Canadian Forces CF-18 Hornet fighter jet won’t be determined until shortly before their scheduled times of 6 p.m. and 6:45 p.m., respectively.

Should smoke cause the Snowbirds to postpone their show, the pilots and crew will participate in a meet-and-greet at the beach-side park located east of the Penticton Lakeside Resort. An autograph session begins at 7:15 p.m.

The pilots spent Tuesday in the South Okanagan where the parachute team took select members of the media for a tandem jump and the Snowbirds participated in a wine tasting tour of the region.

Updates will be posted on the “Penticton Air Display” Facebook page.

Blumke said the best place to view the Snowbirds is from the beach or inside Okanagan Lake Park.

Meanwhile, the 70th annual Penticton Peach Festival begins today at noon at Okanagan Lake Park with the traditional London Drug’s Seniors Day.

Among the entertainers is Elton Lammie with shows at noon and 4:15 p.m. Lammie, a multi-instrumentalist and country singer, has won numerous talent competitions in North America but redefined the word “cross-over” when, in 2006, he won a reality show which sought out Canada’s best opera singer.

The annual Peach Bin Races, which traditionally include a team from the Snowbirds, will get underway at noon today from Penticton City Hall.

Performers scheduled for after the air show tonight are modern celtic rock band Cod Gone Wild at 8 p.m. and alternative rock band 54-40 at 9:30 p.m.

Peachfest is the largest free, five-day festival in Canada.