You know it’s been a hot weekend for ball players when they enjoy playing in a surprise downpour.
The 31st annual Funtastic Slo-Pitch Tournament and Music Festival opened Friday with hot temperatures, got rained on Monday morning before closing with sunshine, blue skies and more heat Monday afternoon.
“Those playing on Monday were greeted with rain and they loved playing in it, it cooled things off,” laughed outgoing Funtastic executive director Wee Yee.
“The sun came out for the afternoon again.”
More than 200 softball teams took part in games in Vernon while Armstrong and Enderby hosted 32-team events.
Players were greeted with temperatures in the mid-to-high 30s through the first three days of the tournament.
Yee said extra care was put in place to help players deal with the heat.
“We built a misting station near the kids’ playground that was a huge hit. One guy enjoyed it so much he laid down in the station to cool off,” said Yee.
One of Funtastic’s sponsors handed out bottled water in the beverage gardens Saturday and Sunday.
Only one player was treated for heat issues in Vernon, said Yee, and that was on Monday.
“She got cooled off and was taken to medical services to be checked out,” he said.
Crowds flocked to Vernon’s main Funtastic location, the Vernon Army Camp, to enjoy the music of local bands such as The Young’Uns, The Goods, The Dirt, Shawn Lightfoot Band and Hog Wild, along with main acts Bif Naked, Moist and tribute bands Legzz (ZZ Top), Night Train (Guns and Roses) and BC/DC (AC/DC).
“The music was great,” said Yee. “We are quite proud of the local bands this area has.”
For Yee, it was his final Funtastic as executive director.
After two years in the position, Yee handed in his resignation prior to the tournament.
“It’s been a very good experience and quite the endeavour with Funtastic,” said Yee, who came to Vernon from Calgary where he worked with the world-famous Calgary Stampede for many years.
“Building a better community through sports is a great mission statement, and the entire executive and board strives for that.
“It’s been going for 31 years, that says a lot. And it should continue to do well, especially with July 1 being on the weekend for the next four years.”
Vernon-North Okanagan RCMP said there were no major issues with the annual event.
