Tonight’s the night.

The Spirit of the Sea Festival will kick off this evening (July 31) at Semiahmoo Park with a Semiahmoo First Nation ceremony honouring the spirit of the sea, followed by an outdoor, drive-in-style screening of Back to the Future.

Uptown, at Coast Capital Playhouse, the White Rock Youth Ambassadors Awards Gala at 7 p.m. will crown the new Miss White Rock.

While a Kiwanis and Salvation Army pancake breakfast will kick off both Saturday and Sunday at 8 a.m., kids are invited to lead off Saturday’s children’s lineup with a parade leaving the Grand Chief Bernard Charles Memorial Plaza at 10 a.m.

“We want (kids) to show up wearing a costume if they’ve got one... and join Korki the Clown and a bunch of big mascots, who are going to march down Marine Drive and to the teddy bear picnic,” festival director Matt Todd said.

The picnic will begin at 10:45 a.m., followed by the Looney Twoonie Carnival in Semiahmoo Park at 11 a.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. on Sunday.

Amusement rides will run for kids right up to 9 p.m., Todd said. Other Saturday events will include a drum circle at 4 p.m. and a street hockey game before the Torchlight Parade at 9 p.m.

New this year, will be the Spirit of the Sea Run, a one-mile race Aug. 1 at 8 p.m. and a five-kilometre beach walk/jog/run Aug. 2 at 10 a.m. Frisbee fans can check out the new Surrey Ultimate League action on Saturday and Sunday. Demonstrations and games will take place just east of the pier from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

On both Aug. 1 and 2, festival-goers can browse the all-day Waterfront Market, The Boathouse’s salmon-eating contest (1 to 5 p.m.) and the Bridgestone Firestone Best Show Trailer (10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., respectively). On display will be seven-time Formula One world drivers’ champion Michael Schumacher’s 2004 Ferrari F-1 and Indy driver Dan Wheldon’s Target Chip Ganassi 2006 Indy car.

If that’s not enough for car enthusiasts, the Run to the Rez Show and Shine will have at least 300 cars filling Semiahmoo Park Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Also on Sunday is the Semiahmoo First Nation salmon barbecue and kids dessert-eating contest.

A fireworks display will round off the weekend at 10:15 p.m.

Throughout Saturday and Sunday there will be live entertainment on three different stages around the beach.

Children’s entertainers will perform on the Starfish Stage in Semiahmoo Park from 1:15 to 7 p.m. Saturday and 12:30 to 6:30 p.m. Sunday, while the East Beach stage, featuring youth-oriented acts and bands, will be Saturday from 12:30 to 7:30 p.m. and Sunday from 12:30 to 8 p.m.

The main stage will host a variety of acts Saturday from noon to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Free parking will be offered at Centennial Park and Semiahmoo and Earl Marriott secondaries, where free community shuttles will transport people to and from Marine Drive.

All-day parking will be available at Semiahmoo Park for $5, and tips on finding free parking are available at www.spiritofthesea.ca