A longtime streak of getting soaked came to an end Saturday morning as the rain stayed away from the West Coast’s Pacific Rim Whale Festival parade.
Tofino’s streets were filled with floats and excitement at 10 a.m. as the festival kicked off its 32nd annual appearance under unprecedented sunshine.
“This was a fantastic Whale Festival parade,” beamed Tofino mayor Josie Osborne after the event. “It’s the first time in the 20 years that I’ve lived here that it’s been sunny, which is a big bonus.”
She said she was thrilled to see the West Coast come together to fill the parade with great floats and hearty spirit.
“The Whale Festival parade is important because it shows a lot of team spirit and community spirit,” she said. “Everybody comes out to see the best little parade in the world and it just makes you feel like you’re, kind of, at home in our great little town of Tofino.”
Blowing bubbles throughout the parade route from the Remote Passages Marine Excursions float was Nuri Nolla, who was delighted with the experience.
“The Whale Fest parade is always a blast,” she exclaimed.
“It was amazing,” said Sierra Legebokoff after partying through the parade on Crystal Cove Beach Resort’s float, which took top honours as the parade’s best float. “This parade is awesome because it brings awareness to the Whale Festival, our ocean, our species in the ocean and it just gets everybody together as a community.”