March 29, 2024

IMG_4147BY DEVON HAYES

The fourth annual Kitchener-Waterloo International Pillow Fight Day began slowly, with just a few pillow-wielding patrons ready for battle, but picked up quickly.

The event on April 5 was run by KDUB, a non-profit organization founded by Dan Lauckner, who was born and raised in the area. The organization works hard to create fun community events for everyone to attend.

“We had a few dozen people show up,” Lauckner said. “Not as many as previous years, but still a good turnout. I think the weather (it was a chilly day) may have played some part in it. There were so many smiling faces, and as long as people had fun, I don’t care how many people showed up.”

In addition to the music to get the crowd pumped, the sun peeked out from behind the clouds just in time for the fight to begin.

Fighters of all ages participated; college and university students made a big show of being chased away by the smallest kids.

The U.S. may be an ally to Canada, but when Captain America swooped in with a pillow in hand, the tension rose.

No one was more sought out than the patriotic, costume-wearing super soldier. Though seen as a hero in comic books and on screen, Captain America found himself bombarded by an array of colourful pillows, held tightly by small Canadian children.

Pillow fighters dressed warmly for the fight. Almost as if it were an unspoken rule, hats, mittens and coats were a must-have for the battle, which lasted for an hour in the chilly mid-afternoon.

Other rules, set out by KDUB, were set in place to keep participants safe and the event fun.

“You have to be careful and make sure you lay down some rules beforehand,” Lauckner said. “You have to make sure everyone knows not to swing too hard – don’t hit the little kids too hard.”

Fighters were required to bring soft pillows and were not allowed to have feather pillows – to make the cleanup afterwards easier – though, on the official site for International Pillow Fight Day, feathers were encouraged.

Pillow fights took place all over the world in various cities, such as Washington, D.C., London, Madrid, Brisbane and even Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.

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