Aylmer Bingo nights: Where luck, competition and community collide!

Jude Osmond

Aylmer is known for many things, but one of the most popular activities is bingo night.

Bingo night has been a staple for the Aylmer community for a long time. Bingo Aylmer has been in service since 1975, and it never disappoints. The tables are always full.  One of the themes in Aylmer bingo nights is competitiveness. The players are very competitive, as there is money to win, and all the contestants take it seriously.

Aylmer bingo night has always occurred in one venue, the Aydelu Centre, located at 94 rue du Patrimoine. The venue is conveniently located in the same place as the hockey rinks, bowling alley and slot machines, making it an easily accessible hub for entertainment.

Every Tuesday and Wednesday, participants arrive at 6:45 pm with a chance to win up to $2,000. About a dozen games are played each night, and various amounts of money are won in each game, depending on the type of bingo being played.

Bingo nights have been very popular for the past number of years and are held in a very welcoming environment. Even if it’s your first time, you will meet some people and enjoy yourself. “It’s a nice way to meet a lot of people,” said Linda Beaudry, second vice-president of the Aylmer Legion and a regular at bingo in Aylmer since 1976.

When COVID hit the Aylmer community in 2020, the town needed something to do, and bingo reopened. “You could tell many people wanted to go out and have fun with others, so it did give the community a good way to socialize,” said Guy Rochon, President of the Aydelu Recreation Centre.

Aylmer bingo nights have significantly impacted the local population. Money is often raised to help with special needs in the community. On Wednesday, May 7, they announced that they had raised $950 for the elementary school Rapides-Deschenes, to help with their graduation ceremony. Rochon noted that schools and various sports teams sometimes request assistance to cover the cost of an event or some other purchase.

The sponsored bingo nights are always the most packed. On May 7, 224 people were there, making it a full house.