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Banner year ahead for Penticton with events and festivals galore

Check out some of the events scheduled to run in Peach City in 2020
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A member of the SkyHawks parachute team colours the skies over Okanagan Lake Park on the opening day of the Penticton Peach Festival. The celebration is set to return in 2020. (Mark Brett - Western News)

It’s going to be a banner year for Penticton in 2020, with multiple high-profile events scheduled to take place in the city.

Recently, the city renewed its relationship with Ironman after the world-class triathlon stopped holding the Penticton event in 2012.

The competition and its anticipated 2,500 athletes return to Peach City on Aug. 30, 2020.

“This was, and I believe will still be, their flagship event in North America, it’s going to put Penticton back on the map as it used to be for Ironman events,” said Mayor John Vassilaki at the announcement of Ironman’s return in July.

“It’s going to be one of those things that comes along once in a lifetime, but fortunately for Penticton it’s twice in a lifetime.”

READ MORE: Ironman returns to Penticton after seven-year absence

The last weekend of June promises to be a busy one for the tourism industry in Penticton, with three of its annual festivals slated to run June 26 to 29.

Residents in Penticton canto check out the hot wheels at the Peach City Beach Cruise, chow down on some delicious meat at the Penticton Ribfest and embrace the nostalgia at the Penticton Elvis Festival all in one day if they desire.

Accommodations in the city are sure to book up quickly for that jam-packed weekend.

Penticton’s flagship Peach Festival is back for Aug. 5 to 9 in 2020.

In what will be its 73rd year, the festival is Canada’s largest free family festival and attendees can expect fun and entertainment galore.

With seven breweries and counting, it’s no surprise that the Okanagan Fest of Ale will be returning April 17 and 18.

Since it’s the 25th anniversary of the festival celebrating craft beer and cider in the Okanagan Similkameen, the society is promising this will be its biggest party yet.

The Penticton Dragon Boat Club is also celebrating a special anniversary, since the annual festival will be running for its 20th year in September 2020.

READ MORE: 20 years of dragon boat racing in Penticton

The official date for the event has not yet been announced, but racers and attendees can expect it to return to Skaha Lake, bigger and better than ever.

“I think by growing our 20th anniversary and making it a big event locally and in the dragon boat world, I think it would set us up for the next 20 years,” said race director Don Mulhall during his presentation to city council in June.

“Because we’re down at Skaha I’d also like to see something at the other side of the city, maybe a parade of athletes or something.”

Not to mention the many headliners and high-profile acts set to take the stage at the South Okanagan Events Centre throughout the year.

This includes country musician Brad Paisley, metal legend Alice Cooper and the renowned Harlem Globetrotters.

To stay up to date on all of the events coming to Penticton in 2020, visit www.pentictonwesternnews.com.

To report a typo, email: editor@pentictonwesternnews.com.

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Jordyn Thomson | Reporter
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