OTTAWA

Thousands spike, set and serve for charity at HOPE SummerFest

CTV Ottawa Published Saturday, July 15, 2017 4:18PM EDT

Thousands attend this years 33rd annual HOPE Volleyball SummerFest, a charity volleyball tournament, at Mooney's Bay on July 11th, 2015.

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Ottawa’s HOPE Volleyball SummerFest transformed the beach at Mooney's Bay into a sea of courts as far as the eye could see Saturday.

More than 1,000 teams and tens of thousands of people packed the beach for the 35th annual charity beach volleyball tournament.

"I've done it for the past five or six years," said Sara MacLaren, a former varsity volleyball player. "It's a fun time to get out and be with our friends."

With more than 80 courts going at any one time, HOPE is the largest one day beach volleyball tournament in North America. Organizers say more than 10,000 participants and about 15,000 spectators are expected.

This year HOPE rallied behind six local charities, including: Sexual Assault Support Centre, Children at Risk, Dress for Success Ottawa National Capital Region, the Shepherds of Good Hope, Ottawa Community Housing Foundation, and the Waupoos Foundation. The event has raised more than $3.5 million for more than 110 local charities since its inception 35 years ago.

While the event is free, guests are able to enjoy live music and DJs in three different licensed areas for an entry fee. This year’s headliner is Canadian band The Strumbellas.