Canyon Lakers join forces out on the calm waters of the East Bay during the Memorial Day weekend. Fiesta Day, perhaps the biggest event of the year in Canyon Lake, had been scheduled for Saturday, but was canceled after COVID-19 restrictions were enacted. Canyon Lakers got creative as they celebrated the holiday in backyards, beaches, parks and the lake. Photo by Kelly Lopez
No Fiesta in quieter holiday
Canyon Lakers took to the lake over the three-day Memorial Day weekend. Although not the activity of Memorial Days without COVID-19 in the past, the lake was busy. These boaters and kayakers stayed well into the evening. Photos by Kelly Lopez
COVID-19 caused Canyon Lake’s biggest annual event to be canceled, but a gradual reopening, albeit restricted, sent eager Canyon Lakers to parks and beaches instead on Memorial Day weekend. The weekend was a bit quieter than typical Memorial Day weekends of the past, but Canyon Lake was far from the ghost town it has been for the past couple months.
With Fiesta Day canceled until next year, Canyon Lake’s beaches, parks and lake were used thoroughly by swimmers, skiers, boaters, kayakers and others. Although many stayed home to barbeque with their families, other Canyon Lakers frequented the community’s parks and beaches. Perfect weather cooperated and kept boaters out into the sunset hours.
Although Canyon Lake’s parks were busy, families and groups generally seemed to stay in small groups to themselves. Some parks, which during a typical Memorial Day weekend would be filled with groups shoulder-to-shoulder, were rather full, but not packed.
Indian Beach seemed to be the most popular of the community beaches. Families were out and about with kayaks and water toys. Sunset Beach was busy as well, but lacked its normal Fiesta Day excitement. The beaches this past holiday weekend had a calm family feel to them. They were full, well used and enjoyed, but lacked the big groups and crowds of years past.
The lake had its full complement of boats, though. Boats could be seen and heard throughout the weekend. With families and small groups out on their boats, they could easily keep a social distance.
Memorial Day tends to be the birth of summer each year. Canyon Lake’s summer of 2020 will be a different one, for sure. Based on Memorial Day activity, though, the community’s amenities look to be rather busy.