This weekend was the 5K Foam Fest at Wasaga Beach. It’s been fun watching organizers prepare for the event. Details on the event are here:
On Monday Aug 5th (the civic holiday) I got down to the beach before 8:00 AM to beat the crowds. I was the only one at the 18th street parking lot below.
My advice to friends visiting the beach from Toronto? Leave home at 5:00 AM. Have a nice breakfast in Wasaga Beach at 7:00 AM. Enjoy the beach from 8:00 AM until about 1:30 PM. You’ll be fried to a crisp by then anyway. Time your exit as the beach goes nuts around 2:00 PM, and hit a restaurant near 45th street or in Collingwood for a late lunch well away from beach one. Get home by 5:00 PM sitting on your back deck congratulating yourself for not being stuck in a traffic jam on Hwy 400!
Monday, August 6th, 2018 – I was down at 18th street just before 8:00 AM. I was the first person in the parking lot. The day before, there was not a spot to be found. It pays to get up early on a holiday weekend.Monday, August 6th, 2018 – It was about 8:30 AM by the time I got down to the beach one boardwalk. What a contrast to the day before. Provincial Park crews were busy cleaning things up getting ready for a tsunami of visitors on a holiday Monday.Tuesday, August 7th, 2018 – In the summer I often see this plane flying low across the beach. I usually fumble for my camera and struggle to get a decent picture. This is one of the better pictures I’ve managed.Wednesday, August 8th, 2018 – Picture taken in the evening around 6:30 PM looking west/southwest from near Beach 3.Wednesday, August 8th, 2018 – this picture taken from the park near 13 street. A green filter applied to try and capture the grass.Thursday, August 9th, 2018 – Park crews are still cleaning up from the long weekend.Thursday, August 9th, 2018 – This is a property at the east end of Shore Lane. These chairs always catch my eye. It was a stroke of genius whoever decided to place multi-colored Muskoka chairs along the private boardwalk.Thursday, August 9th, 2018 – I cut my walk short because it was hot. Hiking up from the beach to Shore Lane from just west of 13th street.Friday, August 10th, 2018 – on Friday they were setting up for this weekend’s FoamFest 5K event. The three structure that look like rocket ships are called the “death drop” part of the obstacle course for this weekend’s event.Friday, August 10th, 2018 – Preparing the finish lineFriday, August 10th, 2018- the “death drop” is just one of 22 obstacles for FoamFest placed up and down the 5 kilometer beach route, but it is one of the cooler ones. Three identical structure like this one. People are power washing the structure before the big day.Friday, August 10th, 2018 – things will start at the east end of the western boardwalk at beach one.Friday, August 10th, 2018 – looking east across beach one. Preparations underway for this weekend’s crowds.Friday, August 10th, 2018 – Rather than walking back along the beach I decided to wind my may through the provincial park to find some shade. Bush trails near beach 2.
Saturday was the day of the 5K FoamFest. Late morning I came across participants working through the various obstacle courses. By the time people got to this station near 12th street (to jump through floating inner tubes), most people were clearly exhausted. A few still jogging but most walking (or crawling).
Saturday, August 11th, 2018 – Near 12th street participants navigating one of 22 obstaclesSaturday, August 11th, 2018 – Got to hand it to the participants. Jogging 5k is easy for a lot of people but the obstacle courses and heat make this event pretty intense.Saturday, August 11th, 2018 – participants arriving near 12th street, turning point for the 5K foamfest.
