Witches on paddleboards raise money for charity on Vancouver Island
A coven of witches gathered in Royston, B.C., on Sunday to do some paddleboarding, share in some cackles and raise money for charity.
The second annual Witches Paddle and Photoshoot was conjured up by local photographer Sarah Buckley-Jones who was looking for a way to get her name out into the community and gather people together for a good time.
"I think it’s just a fun event. I don’t know what the attraction is but it’s definitely very exciting," Buckley-Jones said.
Onlookers were spellbound by the site of more than 60 witches on paddleboards travelling along the Royston shoreline.
"It’s probably six times as many as last year," she said.
Prizes were given out for the best costume as well as the best cackle with the photographer’s nieces serving as judges.
Last year’s gathering was held later in the month just before Halloween, but this year’s date was chosen to take advantage of the weather and to cut down on the wind.
"It’s just a totally fun event that I wanted people to be able to come down to,” she said.
Aside from being a bewitching time, the event also raised funds for charity.
"One hundred per cent of the proceeds today are going to go to the Comox Valley Transition Society to stay local," Buckley-Jones added.
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