Penticton Peach Festival organizers are expecting this yearsa国际传媒檚 festival to be the biggest in its history, as they prepare to enter its 70th year.

Peachfestsa国际传媒檚 kidssa国际传媒� zone will be opening up at 9 a.m. in Gyro Park, with peach bin races and entertainment kicking off the festivities at noon.

sa国际传媒淓veryday is a big day, but Wednesday wesa国际传媒檝e got the air show and as well as 54-40 headlining,sa国际传媒� said Peachfest president Don Kendall. sa国际传媒淵ou have the motocross, there are the two shows on Wednesday. Itsa国际传媒檚 a huge day.sa国际传媒�

As smoke continues to fill the Okanagan Valley, with haze in Penticton considered a high-level risk, the Snowbirds are still unclear whether they will be able to perform their aerobatics show, scheduled for 6 p.m.

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But Kendall pointed to fluctuating air conditions both recently and in the past, noting that the Snowbirds were forced to do their sa国际传媒渓ow showsa国际传媒� four years ago after the skies changed from clear at 1 p.m. to hazy at 5 p.m.

sa国际传媒淣obody can predict what the weathersa国际传媒檚 going to be like. You hope for the best, but theresa国际传媒檚 nothing we can do about it,sa国际传媒� he said, noting they likely wonsa国际传媒檛 make the decision until just before the show.

According to a news release, if the Snowbirds are unable to fly for the show, they will do a meet and greet with the public at the Okanagan Lake Park.

Save for a near-zero visibility come 5 p.m. tomorrow, however, the Canadian Forces Skyhawks Precision Parachute Team is fully expecting to put on their aerial show for crowds.

A CF-18 Hornet fighter jet show is scheduled to run after the Snowbirds, at 6:45 p.m., which officials say will go on regardless of the smoke conditions.

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Kendall pointed back to the motocross, which will also go on regardless of the smoke conditions, adding that last yearsa国际传媒檚 first appearance at Peachfest was a success.

sa国际传媒淚t ran on one day last year with two shows and attracted about 7,000 people for the two shows, so wesa国际传媒檙e thrilled to have them back this year for three days, two shows a day,sa国际传媒� Kendall said.

sa国际传媒淎nd this is, without doubt, the best entertainment lineup wesa国际传媒檝e ever had.sa国际传媒�

Kendall said Trooper recently played for $40 tickets in West Kelowna, while 54-40 played Tinhorn Creek winery last year with $80 tickets.

sa国际传媒淵ou come to Peachfest and see these people for nothing,sa国际传媒� Kendall said. sa国际传媒淵ou donsa国际传媒檛 get to see bands like Aaron Pritchett and Trooper and 54-40 and Powder Blues for free.sa国际传媒�

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Beyond the entertainment, Kendall noted a slo-pitch tournament, square dancing, a skateboard and BMX competition and two parades.

sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 a lot more than just the entertainment,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淭he fact that thousands and thousands of people every day get to enjoy this for free is incredible.sa国际传媒�

The Penticton Okanagan Rotary will also be holding their 34th annual sandcastle competition on Thursday, with registration running at 4 p.m. and sculpture time kicking off at 5:30 p.m.

Last year attracted an estimated 80,000 event visits at the festival, which was about the same as 2015, though itsa国际传媒檚 unclear how many individual people attended Peachfest.

But this year, Kendall said hesa国际传媒檚 looking to break that record.

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sa国际传媒淲e expect record crowds. Wesa国际传媒檝e got the best parade wesa国际传媒檝e ever had, we believe, wesa国际传媒檝e got the best entertainment lineup wesa国际传媒檝e ever had. Wesa国际传媒檝e got tremendous events throughout the five days for people of all ages.sa国际传媒�

Part of the reason 2015sa国际传媒檚 numbers hit as high as they did in 2016, however, was because an estimated 20,000 people watched the Snowbirds do their show.

sa国际传媒淲hen they perform, Okanagan Lake Beach, all the way around is wall-to-wall people. You cansa国际传媒檛 even see the sand,sa国际传媒� Kendall said.

sa国际传媒淭he traffic stopped on Highway 97 last time to watch them. And up on Munson Mountain and Naramata way, the roads were all clogged by people watching them.sa国际传媒�

With that in mind, Kendall noted itsa国际传媒檚 best to be patient when travelling during Peachfest, adding that transit might be the best option for most people attending the festival, with limited parking and plenty in attendance.