There were no chicken wings and you had to supply your own beer. Despite those shortcomings, the first Regal Heights Virtual Pub Night on April 23 was as much fun as the real thing.

Regular pub night, held on the third Thursday of every second month at the Fox and Fiddle, had to be cancelled in April because of the pandemic. Organizer Beth Marcilio wanted it to go ahead in some form, so the Regal Heights Residents’ Association arranged a beer-drinking video conference in its place.

The turnout was relatively small — about 15 people — but the event was big on fun. Davenport MP Julie Dzerowicz and MPP Marit Stiles both stopped by to chat. Residents hoisted their own beer and talked about the neighbourhood and how people were coping in the age of COVID-19. Some added a touch of authenticity by using a photo of a pub interior as their virtual background.

But the highlight of the evening came when the pub-goers, led by Brian Crabtree and John Keating, sang the Beatles’ hit, With A Little Help From My Friends. Computer lag made it all but impossible to keep time. The result was so bad — and so much fun — everyone agreed to sing it a second time.

Thanks to Peter Norman for the publicity, John Keating for hosting the video conference and to everyone who attended. Here’s to having a real pub night soon.