Peach Bin race gets festival off to a wild start

Everything was going just peachy until a broken wheel foiled the BP Wood Lumber Rumblers’ plans to unseat last year’s winner, the Greyback Hammerheads, at the annual Peach Bin Races on Main Street Wednesday.

Hundreds turned out to watch eight teams race against each other in the 100 block of Main Street. The races are a kick off to Penticton’s Peach Festival which runs until Sunday.

BP Wood was going strong in the final race of the day, when they blew a wheel rounding the turn. Greyback Construction rushed past to take the lead and win, earning the local builders $700 to the charity of their choice, which is the YES Project for youth.

The win also gives them a free entry into Peach Festival’s Grand Parade on Saturday.

“We have some mean competition this year but we’ll do our best,” said Kirsty Lindsay, marketing manager for Greyback, prior to the races.

The Penticton Fire Department Hosers’ bin was armed with a water hose to spray competitors.

Spectators were also treated to a show in the sky by the Canadian Air Force’s Skyhawks Parachute Team with several parachutes cascading quickly onto Okanagan Lake Park nearby. The large army plane did numerous low-flying fly-bys as well.

Peach Festival is now in full swing. Today it’s the Canadian Tire Mega Motocross at Okanagan Lake Park at noon, the Kids Zone at Gyro Park from 9 a.m. to noon, the 15th annual Peachfest Square Dance Festival at the South Main Drop-In Centre, the 35th annual Sandcastle Competition at 5:30 p.m. at Skaha Lake Park, and April Wine taking the stage at 9:30 p.m. at Okanagan Lake Park.

MONIQUE TAMMINGA/Penticton Herald The BP Wood Lumber Rumblers blew a wheel in the final race against Greyback Construction at the annual Penticton Peach Festirval Peach Bin Races on Main Street in downtown Penticton on Wednesday. BP Wood’s Kevin Vandervoort, front left, Scott Buxton, back left, and Dan Bouchard, right. In the bin is Chad Ziegler, upside down, and Dayna Pedro driving.