Despite bad weather, the 2025 edition of What's Hoppening in 100 Mile House proceeded in high spirits.
The event was held at the 100 Mile Community Hall between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 12. The event was free for the community to attend, with numerous games and food available for kids of all ages. However, infrequent bursts of snow and wind led to the cancellation of the bouncy castles portion of the event.
"I appreciate that safety, but it's been good, we've had lots of families and kids are having a ball," Donna Barnett, one of the main organizers of the event, said.
She also noted that this year's What's Hoppening was not as busy as last year's because of the inconsistent weather.
"The numbers are down, but the spirits are up," Barnett explained.
Several of the activities at What's Hoppening, included mini golf and water blaster games outside, as well as the 100 Mile Fire Rescue and the BC Ambulance Service making an appearance, with the fire department showing kids what it's like inside of one of their fire trucks. In addition, there was a doughnut eating challenge, in which contestants could not use their hands to eat Tim Hortons' doughnuts suspended from a string.
"We got put your hands in the paint and put them on the sheets for us, and we save them year to year - all kinds of games, fish pond - and lots of volunteers," Barnett added.
There were also free hot dogs and popcorn available, with the hot dogs being served by FreshCo 100 Mile, who Barnett said had donated all of the hot dogs and drinks.
Some of the volunteers who helped to make this event possible included the 100 Mile House Lions Club. Sandra Campbell, who has been with the 100 Mile Lions for the last two years, helped to oversee the Fish Pond game - in which participants who had decided to play would fish for various prizes.
"There's a bucket of prizes down here, and we try to pick them for the age appropriateness and gender appropriateness sometimes, and they pull it out and get a prize," Campbell said.
Louise Mays, another main organizer of the 2025 What's Hoppening event, said that she likes to come up with games for the kids.
"I like to just come up with the ideas that will appeal to the kids - like throwing a raw egg. Do you get to do that at home?" Mays asked, referring to a game in which kids threw actual eggs at a cardboard chicken. Mays also says that the mini golf and the water games were alternatives to the bouncy castles.
"They're outside and it's kind of like bad weather for them too," Mays said, but added that the main thing is that kids have fun.
"They love the doughnut challenge - they like getting the doughnuts. They play all the different games. They seem to be happy and content and smiling. That's all that matters," Mays explained. She also said that she hopes What's Hoppening continues to be held every year.
Barnett remarked that she feels great about holding this event because it is a family event.
"It's so nice to see so many kids have a smile. And everything's free."
