Summer will soon be in full swing. School will be out next week, the weather is getting warm, and it’s time to enjoy our little piece of heaven. With something going on almost every weekend this summer season, here is a list of activities to help you get the most out of summer at the lake:

The SMLRA Fishing Derby is back for the 2026 season: June 27th start

The derby will be open throughout the summer for all open-season fish species on Six Mile Lake. The derby, which starts on June 27^th, promotes catch and release fishing and strengthening the sense of community Six Mile Lake prides itself on. Go here to register.

SMLCA Regatta Site Preparation: July 11th

Come join us on July 11^th at 10:00 a.m. to help affix the floating docks and clean up the regatta site. A great opportunity to earn volunteer hours.

Market on Six: July 11^th

Visit the first ever Market on the Six on July 11th at Wawautosa Marina from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Come shop, socialize and support an incredible lineup of Six Mile vendors offering everything from delicious food and handcrafted woodworking to skincare, clothing, unique finds, and so much more.

SML Pride Parade and Drag Show: Sunday July 18^th at 1:00 p.m.

The SMLCA continues to support this annual event. The flotilla will start at the Six Mile Lake Provincial Park and wind its way throughout the lake. It is always wonderful to see many cottager families standing out on their docks, waving to show their support as the boats pass by.

Friday Disco Night at Wawautosa: July 24^th 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Come enjoy the first disco night at Wawautosa. Ticket entry $20. Order tickets before June 30^th (no refunds). Contact jalyons@rogers.com to pay by e-transfer.

Clean-up Crew at Mc Donald Dam Saturday July 25^th at 10 a.m.

Come join Jamie Atwood and his crew to clean up the campsites at Mc Donald Dam. It is a great way to give back to your community, meet other cottagers, and get volunteer hours checked off.

Fireworks Preparation:  Friday July 31 at 10 a.m.

As usual, we are looking for volunteers to help Pyro Mario move his equipment and fireworks to the Island on Friday, and help pack up and clean the site on Sunday morning. If you can pitch in, please contact us at volunteers@sixmilelake.net . Volunteers meet at 10 a.m. at the Crooked Bay public dock, on Friday July 31st.

75^th annual SMLCA Regatta: Saturday August 1st at 10 a.m.

This is an important investment in the treasured cottage memories of our children and another great chance to meet your lake neighbours. The regatta takes place at Regatta Bay, in the southeast end of the lake. It starts at 10 a.m. and features (in order) races for Pre-Tadpoles (under 7), Tadpoles (7-8), Juniors (9-10), Youth (11-12), Juveniles (13-14), Intermediates (15-16), Seniors (17-30) and Over 30s. Races include swimming, canoeing, and the infamous Hurry Scurry race. Note that If anyone has an old canoe that they can loan us for the canoe races, please let us know at info@sixmilelake.net.

In addition to races, there are hot dogs and drinks, face tattoos, the vaunted snake and reptile exhibition, the ever-popular fishing pond, book/DVD sale, and a raffle for great prizes. Pull your boats up along the shore and walk to the regatta for a great day of fun! Come and renew your membership, donate to next year’s fireworks and meet the directors. There’s lots to do on regatta day, so lend a hand if you can.

20^th Annual Fireworks Display: August 1st at sunset

Later that same day after the regatta, we will all gather in our boats around Fire Island in the south end of the lake at sunset (8:45) to view our 20^th fireworks show. Remember to stay at a safe distance and do not enter the no-boat zone (we will publish the restriction zone on our website).

Fireworks Donations

Due to the fact that we weren’t able to have our fireworks show last summer, we have plenty of funds in our kitty. This year, rather than skipping your donation, please consider donating to our regatta site improvement fund. There are many projects that need our attention including replacing one of the outhouses and refurbishing some of our docks. Every little bit helps. The fireworks are supported separately from the SMLCA budget.  All donations can made at our membership portal: https://smlca.wildapricot.org/donate .

9^th Annual Artists Tour:  Saturday August 8^th and Sunday August 9^th from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Come see the marvelous work of many Six Mile Lake artisans in locations throughout the lake. Follow the posts on Facebook for a location map or go to www.sixmilelake.art (please note that the website is not yet updated for the 2026 tour).

25^th Anniversary GPCA Canoe for Cancer August 29^th at 8:30 a.m.

Come out to Gloucester Pool and enjoy a day out on the water while supporting an important cause. Meet to register at the Big Chute Railway, 7001 Upper Big Chute Rd. Go here for more information.

Virtual AGM: Wednesday October 28^th.

This is an excellent opportunity for you to get involved, express your voice, and find out what’s been going on at our association during the past year. Perhaps you would really like to get involved and consider joining our board. There is nothing more rewarding than contributing to our lake community to continue to make our Six Mile Lake experience an awesome one. Check out the summer Echoes for more information.

Membership Renewal

As always, your annual SMLCA membership dues support some of these great events, and we encourage support for many others. The membership year starts on June 1, and May marked the start of our membership drive. Most of your fellow Six Milers have already renewed; please join them by renewing your membership.  Most of you should have received an email message prompting you to renew via Wild Apricot, at our membership portal at https://smlca.wildapricot.org. One of the features of Wild Apricot is that you can auto renew your membership. If you still wish to have a paper invoice sent to you, contact Sarah McKinney at membership@sixmilelake.net. Remember, dues can be paid through our membership portal here: https://smlca.wildapricot.org .

We’ll see you out on the lake! Please be courteous and safe.