It’s official. Billy Barker Days will go ahead in 2023.
The future of the summer festival came into question late last year with the retirement of a lot of the longtime volunteers.
That led to an appeal for some new ones.
Maureen Murray, Past President and Advisor on the Billy Barker Days Society, says they definitely have some interested people.
“They had a fair turnout at our orientation session in December. Our regular meeting on January 19th should give us an idea. I still have a good 20 people that have said they are definitely interested in being an active monthly member and attending the whole weekend, and/or being a Director of one of the events so that they go on.”
Murray says while Billy Barker Days will go ahead, how big of an event it will be is still in question.
“Yes. I think we’re still going to have the entertainment on the stage and a laser show, but will we have some of the special events or even the parade ? A lot depends on how active these volunteers are going to be.”
Murray says they can always use more volunteers.
“Absolutely. If there are people that don’t want to be an active member attending monthly meetings but plan to be part of it on the weekend, there will be volunteer forms when we open the office, hopefully in early May.”
Barry McKillican is the new President of the Billy Barker Days Society.
The rest of the executive consists of Jeanette Beauvillier as Vice President, Lynne Wright is the new Secretary, and Debbie Wiens is the Treasurer.
-Files by George Henderson, My Cariboo Now