The final day of the 64th annual Oak Bay Tea Party on June 7 drew hundreds of visitors to Willows Park. Of course, it wasn’t just the amusement park and fast food that served as the magnet, although they certainly created a lively backdrop for the main events taking place on Sunday afternoon.  
 Just like the previous two days, the stage of the annual municipal festival, with the beautiful scenery of Willows Beach, featured live performances, culminating in a set by local band Freeze Frame. It was right after their performance that the time came for the spectacles in the sky and on the water.

Four master skydivers executed spectacular jumps, performing figures and flips in mid-air before landing precisely near the flag marker between two signal flares just a few metres from the tide line.

Afterwards, the Oak Bay Sea Rescue team put their lifesaving skills on display.

And finally, it was time for the main event — the Mayor’s Floating Teacup Race.
 Local Oak Bay police officers and Mayor Kevin Murdoch climbed into huge floating teacups and started the race to the applause and laughter of the spectators. According to the legend, the mayor is a fugitive and the rest are pursuing him. To prevent the task from seeming too easy, the participants receive paddles of different lengths. And the winner is the one who, having paddled to the rescue boat, returns to the shore and, walking across the beach to the starting point, strikes the bell.
 One of the pursuers' teacups took on water just a few metres from the shore and dropped out of the race, another participant was swept away by the current, a third capsized halfway, and only the "fugitive" reached the rescuers' boat, returned back, and happily walked across the beach to announce his victory with a strike of the bell.

The Oak Bay Tea Party at Willows Park remains a wonderful town tradition in Canada’s safest municipality, with local law enforcement clearly holding the title of crowd favourites.
 Next year, the anniversary 65th Oak Bay Tea Party will take place. But you don't have to wait until then to enjoy the area — the historic Kiwanis Willows Beach Tea Room is open daily, except Mondays, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and the stunning views of sandy Willows Beach overlooking Mary Tod, Chatham, and Discovery Islands are available without breaks or days off, throughout the entire year.