BC Musician Mag - USFG 2013 by BC Musician Magazine

contents Contributors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Welcome to Summer!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 by paul crawford

March/April 2013, Issue 98 ISSN 1918-560x 98

Get your pow wow on . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 by janet rogers

Sidetracked!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 by meaghan cursons

Jam Camp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 by yanti rowland

SAND Sensations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 by Sue Popesku

To Market We Go. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 by michael musclow

Revolution Rock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 by barbara bruederlin

Islands Folk Fest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 by bobby herron

Kiran Ahluwalia: Tilling the Common Ground. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 by dave o rama

Road Woes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 by Eden oliver

May - June festival listings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 2 poems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 - 31 by kelly haigh

July festival listings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 August - October festival listings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Orkestar Slivovica. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

BC Musician magazine is published by Aberdeen Publishing Inc. PO Box 1150 Peachland, BC V0H 1X0 604 999 4141 www.bcmusicianmag.com info@bcmusicianmag.com Publisher, Editor Leanne Nash lvnash@bcmusicianmag.com Administration, Databases Sarah Fahey sarah@bcmusicianmag.com Community Partnerships Meaghan Cursons meg@bcmusicianmag.com Associate Publisher-at-Large Paul Crawford paul@bcmusicianmag.com Sales Donna Bellamy donna@bcmusicianmag.com

Woodshedding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Okanagan Sales & Distribution Joanne Layh jlayh@bcmusicianmag.com

Supernatural!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 - 75

Layout Leanne Nash

Emerging Electronica Festivals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

Cover Design Rika+Sage

by dave o rama

by Richard chapman by jason guille

Festival child. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 by meaghan cursons

Canada Post Agreement 41440066

36TH ANNUAL

VAN COUVER

60+ BRILLIANT MUSIC ACTS FROM BC, CANADA AND AROUND THE WORLD

MUSIC JULY 19 – 21 F E S T I V A L JERICHO BEACH PARK early bird discounts to

June 11

For the 2013 festival line up and tickets: www.thefestival.bc.ca Tix: 604-602-9798

Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013 5

contributors Now with ten solo albums, one compilation, various musical award nominations and to BC Musician Mag again. carolynmark.com wins and countless performances under his belt from around the world,

Carolyn Mark promises to contribute

Michael Musclow

Kelly Haigh is an amazing artist,

recording artist, hair stylist, and singer. She spends her time in Vancouver with her dog Frances doing the Lord’s work. kellyhaigh.com

Dave O Rama is a

writer, photographer, broadcaster, DJ and music addict. He has been hosting radio programs in Toronto and BC for over twenty years. Currently Dave is the host and producer of The Lovecast, a 3-hour music program heard Saturday evenings on CHLY 101.7 FM which broadcasts to Canada’s west coast. The Lovecast has been on the air for 10 years.

is taking a breather the rest of this year with the release of “Devastate”. Now focused on maintaining gardens and hosting a monthly ambient soundscape on his Peach City Radio program “The Andromedan Perspective”, he also enjoys everything in a proper context.

Barbara Bruederlin is trying to

single-handedly save the arts community in Canada by promoting struggling musicians and theatre troupes. Her reviews appear on the press pages of the Calgary Folk Music Festival and Sage Theatre. Barbara also maintains a blog, Bad Tempered Zombie. Her writing has been published in Prairie Fire Magazine, Swerve Magazine, Kitschykoo! Subcultural Magazine, and Alberta Views Magazine.

Jason Guille is a venue owner, project manager and festival producer based in Victoria, BC. Sue Popesku is an arts advocate

Bobby Herron spent six years as the

frontman of the ska band - The B-Sides. He’’s played festivals, bars and parties from Portland to Eastern Europle. After three years as co-owner of Jo’s Bar in Prague and a job at Spinner Records in Vancouver, he has settled in the music mecca known as Cumberland, BC. He continues to write, record, produce and perform. He loves spaghetti, his wife and his daughter.

and resource development officer in Fort St. John. She has been promoting arts and cultural events in Fort St. John, British Columbia and area for many years. With a background in history, arts and fundraising, Sue enjoys working with creative people and making things happen.

6 Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013

Janet Rogers is a Mohawk/Tuscarora writer from the Six Nations band in southern Ontario. She was born in Vancouver, BC and has been living on the traditional lands of the Coast Salish people (Victoria, British Columbia) since 1994. Janet works in the genres of poetry, short fiction, science fiction, play writing, spoken word performance poetry, video poetry and recorded poems with music. Janet hosts Vancouver Island’s only native radio program on CFUV 101.9fm in Victoria called “Native Waves Radio” and is host of a native music column, Tribal Clefs on CBC Radio One’s program, All Points West in BC every Tuesday.

Meaghan Cursons is a community

animateur and BC Musician’s multipurpose team member. She grew up at music festivals and community halls across BC - from Edgewood to Haida Gwaii - with many stops in between. She currently lends her passion to marketing cultural projects, organizing events, building community and general rabble rousing. She hangs her hat and makes a bit of music in the old coal town of Cumberland on Vancouver Island.

Richard Chapman has worked with a wide variety of great Canadian artists for nearly three decades - from the Rheostatics and Herald Nix to Moose Records and The Pointed Sticks. Currently he conducts the Northern Electric collective www. northern-electric.ca.

welcome to summer Please support our Community Partners who support local music in their communities.

Eden Oliver performs on flute,

saxophone, guitar and vocals, teaches at a hippie-independent school, and composes and arranges for radio plays and more. In 2009 she co-founded the indieroots group West My Friend and she hasn’t looked back since.

Yanti Rowland and her husband,

Brent, emigrated from Texas in 2000. They and their three girls now live and play in Naramata, BC. In addition to regular theatre and vocal performances, Yanti and Brent host karaoke at the Naramata Pub and The Elite after 6. Since attending her first Jam Camp in 2010, Yanti has developed her passion for writing kids’ music and is currently making music with MC Bodhi O’Day for Mad Melody Records.

By Paul Crawford It’s with great pleasure we are able to present our Fifth Annual Ultimate Summer Festival Guide giving you an invaluable roadmap to all that’s happening in British Columbia, Alberta and our neighbouring states, provinces and territories this coming summer. It’s been a labour of love and something we here at BC Musician have taken great pride in putting together. That’s not to say we haven’t experienced some bumps along the way, and in our ongoing effort to create the definitive guide we have listened to your feedback and have incorporated your suggestions into the design and layout and hope that you will agree that this is by far the most comprehensive guide of its kind available. This is also our largest issue yet and while we know we may have missed a few, we have done our best to ferret out and include as many festivals as we were able to connect with. To say this is an easy undertaking would be a lie and this publication would not happen and exist if were not for the incredible dedication of our small team here at BC Musician, and that of those working the trenches touring this great land, running venues, organizing and promoting festivals concerts and of course those who keep our dreams alive through the purchase of tickets, CDs, merchandise and, in our case, advertising and subscriptions. None of us are here working hard to build, support and promote our community because it’s easy, but because we all have experienced the incredible power that music has to impact our lives and bring people together in a positive and constructive manner. In our ever increasingly insular world, it’s events like concerts and festivals where we can gather as a community, let our guard down and feel free to express ourselves and in doing so find comfort and camaraderie with our fellow beings. These are transformative events and they build and strengthen community and you need only attend one festival to see the power they have to affect change in a positive manner. Recently I overheard someone say that for them the first day of summer was when they received their copy of the Ultimate Summer Festival Guide as it holds all the keys and promise for a summer filled with untold riches. Solstice may be the longest day of the year and the dog days of summer may still be coming, but it’s also the turning point when things once again begin to contract and we slowly begin to slip back into hibernation. This summer we encourage you to get out, explore and attend a festival you have never been to before and invest in yourself by taking in a show by a band you have never heard of. Chances are you may discover something amazing and just think how great it will feel to share your new discovery with your colleagues round the watercooler, making you the offices tastemaker. Take advantage of all that your Ultimate Summer Festival Guide has to offer and plan your amazing summer adventure now. Come September, take a moment to reflect back on the summer that was share your stories and photos with us. Don’t forget to take a photo of you holding a copy at your favorite festival this summer and we’ll also keep an eye out for you this summer as we get out and take in as many festivals as we are able ourselves.

Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013 7

Hot Summer Guide EVERYTHING there is to do in Edmonton this summer!

IN PRINT AND ONLINE

JUNE 6 hotsummerguide.com

get your pow wow on By Janet Rogers This time of year pow wow dancers are gingerly pulling their dance regalia out of storage to assess the amount of repair necessary in preparation for the upcoming pow wow season. Feathers may need to be re-fastened, sequins may need to be replaced and those seams may need to be let out after a long cold winter. Drummers rarely rest throughout the year, but practice becomes more frequent with the upcoming season with the possibility of new songs being added to the repertoire. Word about pow wows spread throughout Indian Country like juicy rumours using word-of-mouth advertising and personal recommendations to assess which ones are the best to attend. And choose you must, because once the season is in full swing, announcements of more and more pow wows begin to circulate as well as the annual favourites. And we are aware it is often difficult for the non-native communities to know where the pow wows take place and how to behave when there. BC Musician magazine is including some of the pow wow listings throughout the province as part of this special Festivals issue to make it easier for you to plan ahead. But first, let’s get the non-Native and/or first time pow wow goers ready to step into the arbor in a good way. Here’s some tips to take on the pow wow trail with you:

1. BE COOL Like any festival, a pow wow is swirling with exciting energy. This combined with rich colourful regalia and loud tribal drumming is enough to bring out the wide-eyed kid in everyone. But be cool. Don’t touch and don’t stare. Carefully assess your questions before approaching the drummers and dancers and consider how many times they’ve had to answer “your” questions before posing them.

2. PHOTOGRAPHS Kind of goes along with don’t’ stare. Be respectful. Ask before taking photographs. The pow wow announcer will let you know when photography is forbidden (which is usually during prayer or certain special dances) so it’s important to listen for those announcements and comply. If you are planning to sell the photographs that you take of dancers, then have a business card ready to give them. They may want to order more photographs or at least know where images of themselves will end up.

3. ALWAYS USE THE WORD 'REGALIA’ Our outfits are built on cultural lineage and may include family crests and graphics of symbols specific to our clans. The colours we wear are carefully considered and many many hours have gone into the beadwork. These are not costumes. Pow wows are not Halloween. Please do not come to a pow wow dressed in anything that is fake or that you would not proudly dance inside the pow wow circle yourself. Leave those hipster headdresses, pet snakes and feather boas at home (I’ve actually seen these things brought to a pow wow).

4. IT’S OKAY IF YOU DON’T GET THE JOKES The pow wow announcer has a tough job. They speak for many hours at a time announcing all the categories in order while keeping you engaged with chit-chat between dances. Some of that banter includes jokes that only Indians will get; jokes about filleting our baloney, or the hickey booth being open (there is no hickey booth) or “Snag” jokes. Just roll with it. This is inside humour we may not want to take the time to explain, so remember tip #1. Be Cool. And let the laughter wash over you.

5. INTER-TRIBALS

Stunning array of regalia. photo Janet Rogers

This is your chance to dance. The announcer will let you know when anyone and everyone is invited into the pow wow circle when they call an “Inter-Tribal”. Do your best to follow step and move only in the direction of the other dancers. The direction of dance may vary, clock-wise or counterclock-wise, depending on the territory. This is not your time to shine, but to join the circle and move as one. Again, tip #1 comes into play here.

10 Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013

The POW wow trail These 5 basic tips will get you through the gate. And speaking of a gate, there may or may not be an admission price involved while some events may or may not offer camping on site, which could be included with the admission price. This is the era of the plugged-in Indian so many of the pow wows have websites with lists of invited drum groups and the names of lead dancers. As a spectator, you may want to visit the sites before visiting the grounds to become familiar with the specific characteristics of each region’s celebrations. Listed here, are a only a few of the Pow Wows happening over the summer in British Columbia:

Spirit of Peace Pow Wow June 14th-16th Taylor District Ice Centre Taylor, BC.

Squamish Nation 26th Annual Youth Pow Wow July 12th - 14th Capilano Reserve Park North Vancouver, BC

30th Ahki Nation - Skwlax Pow Wow July 20th - 22nd Splats First Nations BC

20th Annual Yellow Wolf Inter-tribal Pow Wow August 2nd - 4th Tsartlip Park on the West Saanich Rez, BC

34th Annual Kamloopa Pow Wow August 2nd- 4th Secwepemc Indian Band Pow Wow Grounds Kamloops BC We really do hope you’ll include a pow wow celebration on your summer itinerary. Besides the dancing and drumming, pow wows host great artists markets with the majority of items being hand made and sold by the artists themselves. Shopping locals helps the provincial economy as well as supporting Indigenous artists directly. There are a couple of web sites I’ll direct you to which will offer more information about pow wow protocols here: kzadmin.com/Powwow.aspx and here is a website where you can begin to chart out your pow wow route for the summer: www.crazycrow.com Get your pow wow on, people, and we’ll see you in the arbor.

Sidetracked

So you’re planning a full summer of festival adventures all over beautiful BC. But what do you do during during the week? The gang here at BC Musician Magazine has done their fair share of road tripping through BC and we thought we’d share a few of our favourite sidetracks for you. 1. The Mighty Fraser Canyon. When is the last time you took the Fraser Canyon Highway? Yale is a great stop with a super cool Museum and the views along the highway north of Yale are mind blowing. The Yale Museum sets the tone for the drive up Highway 1 as you imagine the journey made by gold seekers. Pay too much for the gondola ride across the canyon. Stop for lunch in Spences Bridge and say Hi to our good friends at the Packing House, BC Musician Magazine’s official Fraser Canyon distribution point! 2. Sandon. This place is a total trip! It’s on a sweet stretch of quiet highway between Kaslo (home of the Jazz Etc. Fest) and New Denver (home of a wicked Garlic Fest). This is an old silver mining boom town that is only a remnant of its former self. Apparently this place was huge with theatres and brothels and a war between two major railway companies to serve it. Restaurants served fresh oysters from the coast on their menus. Burned to the ground around the same time silver prices tanked. Find a local volunteer at the museum and start asking questions. Spooky awesome. 3. Lund. The end of the road. Literally. This is the northernmost point on highway 101 and up the highway from Powell River on the Sunshine Coast. You cannot drive any further. Rent kayaks, stop at the bakery, watch the boats come in and out and imagine a quieter life. Powell River is totally worth a drive about too — heritage houses, amazing views.... 4. Cumberland, Vancouver Island. OK, I am a bit biased for sure but it really is a stellar sidetrack en route to the ferry at Port Hardy, Campbell River (to make the crossing to Quadra and then Cortes Island, home of the Cortes Music Fest) or to or from Powell River and the Sunshine Coast. This old coal mining town has an awesome museum (with great lefty labour history) self guided walking tours, gorgeous heritage buildings and world class mountain biking trails. Home to one of the hottest live music venues on the coast (The Waverley Hotel), Cumberland has one of the youngest demographics in BC. Great hostel. 5. Alert Bay and Sointula. A ferry ride (or two) from the logging town of Port Mc Neil on the Island. There two spots are unreal. Alert Bay is home to the U’Mista Cultural Centre dedicated to the cultural heritage of the Kwakwa’ka’wakw with an unbelievable traditional mask collection. Sointula is over on the next island (Malcolm Island) and was home to a Finnish utopian solialist colony until things took a turn... still home to the oldest running co-op grocery store in BC. Pure magic. 6. Princeton-Kamloops Highway. This is a great alternative to the Coquihalla or Highway 97. Be sure to grab a picnic and coffee at Coco’s Bistro first ‘cause there isn’t a lot of good food along the way but the scenery is stunning! Its a great way to get from Kamloops back to Merritt before you decide where you’re heading from there. Crystalline blue waters, sagebrush hills, hot winds. Lovely! 7. Interlakes Highway - Highway #24. A great way to come back from the Cariboo and places north. Lakes, campgrounds and rental cabins abound. Great way to make a slow return from the transcendental experience that is ArtsWells.

Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013 11

pack up the family for jam camp By Yanti Rowland Every June we start thinking about our annual camping trip and what we are going to bring. Tent… check, sleeping bags…check, food… check, jimbe drum, cymbals, shakers, ukulele…check, dress up... check! Jam camp has become a family tradition in our household and we look forward to it all year. A gathering of families, adults, and children of all ages come from far and wide to enjoy our BC summer weather, camping in scenic locales, and making music. What could be better? Not all of us are musicians and many of us don’t have formal training, but we all have a song, a chant, or at least a drum beat in our hearts. Jam Camp helps us bring out our inner musician while having fun, making friends, and learning about ourselves and other cultures. The camps are 3 to 5 days long and attract families and campers of all types and backgrounds. Most mornings we meet for an opening circle with activities, fun, and, of course, music. Then it’s grab a snack and off to meet with our pre-chosen song writing groups to prepare for the closing jamboree where we all perform our original song, skit, or whatever. There is also ample time each day to learn a new instrument, sit at the beach, explore the campground, or just have some R&R. One of our favourite things to do is wander around the campsites listening to spontaneous jamming from fellow Jammers. Inspiration can be found everywhere! There is usually a dance, open mic night and plenty of random acts of music. Our family has performed on open mic night and we have enjoyed the process together. We Jam campers can

be very busy or have a more relaxed pace. That’s the beauty of Jam Camp, there’s something for everyone. Plenty of instruments and skilled instructors are available for campers to learn new instruments or further their current skills and there are plenty of opportunities to sit and listen to great music. Jam camp provides a special place for our family to grow, explore and share in friendship. Our children have grown up loving the experience and we love singing the songs we learned at Jam Camp on the drive home after the closing jamboree. If you want to have a great family camping adventure while finding the music that is inside you then look up what Jam Camp is all about on their website www.jamcamp.org.

Above left: Yanti and Brent Rowland plus their girls. photo Jam Camp. Top: and bottom right: musicians of all ages at Jam Camp. photo contributed.

12 Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013

the stamp mill: JASPER’S INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER

Karaoke Mondays with Guy 7 pm - 11 pm Whistle Stop Pub at Whistler’s Inn Join Guy Carrier for songs in both French and English. Specials and actvities keep the evening fun.

because g ld

is the ultimate

heavy metal.

Whistle Stop Jam Session every Saturday afternoon, 3 pm - 6 pm Whistle Stop Pub at Whistler’s Inn Feel like singing? Free acoustic jam session. WiL Friday, May 3 Olive Bistro & Lounge Vancouver Island musician WiL performs. Rumble in the Rockies Pro Wrestling Saturday, May 18, 7 pm Jasper Arena The Municipality of Jasper is hosting a Pro Wrestling event! Get your tickets at the Jasper Activity Centre front desk or call 780-852-3381. Picture the Ocean Wednesday, June 5 Whistle Stop Pub at Whistler’s Inn Edmonton-based trio Picture the Ocean performs. National Aboriginal Day Saturday, June 22, 11 am - 4 pm Jasper National Park Information Centre Lawn Jasper National Park is recognized as a significant cultural crossroads for a diversity of Aboriginal groups. Drink in the sights, sounds and colours of local and regional Aboriginal culture at its finest with samples of bannock and bush tea, dancers in colourful regalia and the beat of the drum. Canada Day Monday, July 1 Join us in celebrating Canada’s 146th birthday. Wave your maple leaf along the streets of Jasper! Celebrations kick off with a pancake breakfast at 9 a.m. and continue through the day and night with a flag raising ceremony, giant birthday cake, parade, barbeque, beer gardens and stage entertainment capped off by a storm of fireworks against the backdrop of mountain peaks that surround the town.

The Fitzhugh | 626 Connaught Drive, Jasper AB T0E 1E0 780 852 4888 | thefitzhugh.ca

Barkerville: Pounding hard rock since 1862. come visit us may 16- sePtember 29, 2013

Annual sponsor and venue for the ArtsWells Festival of All Things Art 1-888-994-3332 • www.barkerville.ca

A N AT I O N A L h I sTO r I c s I T E O f c A N A dA

Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013 13

sand sensations By Sue Popesku Travelling the Sand Circuit

puts a whole new meaning to “taking your tune on the road” when you can perform just 100 yards off the famous Alaska Highway. At the foot of the long, scenic Taylor Hill lies Peace Island Park — perfect for camping, hiking and boating. Smack dab in the middle of summer from July 27 to August 4, two great festivals take place back-to-back at Peace Island Park in Taylor, British Columbia. Taylor is the playground of the Peace located in Northern BC where the Alaska Highway crosses the mighty Peace River. Music is the key to celebration and Taylor knows how to celebrate. An open mic stage is a new feature at the second Sand Sensations BC festival followed by Taylor’s long standing Gold Panning Championships. Nine days of summer fun attracts visitors from as far away as Alberta and Central British Columbia and stops unsuspecting travellers along the Alaska Highway. The Sand Circuit stage is open to all solos and groups who want to play on the sand stage. Sand is everywhere during the Sand Sensations BC Festival. The sand stage sits among the huge

sculptures of international sand carvers who will work for the entire week while the festival takes place. Families compete with their own sand creations. Sand, food, fun and sun go so well with camping and Peace Island Park has acres and acres of RV and tent camping along the Peace River. Sand Sensations BC is the northern most sand carving competition in BC. Where most sand carving events take place on a lake or the seaside, Sand Sensations BC celebrates the mighty Peace River. Tons of sand for the sand carving comes from the banks of the mighty Peace River and has enough clay content to make long lasting sculptures. Last year’s artworks have withstood the harsh winter and are now peeking out from the snow drifts piled high over the winter. Travellers along the highway during this spring season can still see the 15 foot Sand Sensations BC sign made of solid sand as a reminding that summer is soon to come and the renewed golden promise of sand, sun and fun is not far off. From August 2 to 4, the 41st Invitational Class “A” Gold Panning Championships will begin as the sand sculp-

14 Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013

tures are completed. A community parade on Friday night marks the start of a fun-filled weekend of panning for real gold, staking claims and metal detecting. Step back into time with the old-fashioned-community-pancake breakfast, children’s games, bannock baking and more. Class “A’ panners will compete in 3 levels designed to measure speed, skill and fine gold panning. For those first time panners, young and old, skilled veterans are available to teach and demonstrate the tricks of panning. Everyone can compete and most everyone finds some gold. The Sand Circuit stage celebrates the natural environment along with music and family entertainment. Camping along the Peace River near wilderness rife with moose and bears, and enjoying the natural elements as sand, water and sunshine, participants leave vowing to return next year. Musicians with family friendly songs and music are welcome to have the sand stage on a volunteer basis since both the SAND and the Gold Panning festivals have no admission charges. Contact the Fort St. John Community Arts Council (info@ fsjarts.org or 250-787-2781) to book a time to play on the sand stage between 3pm and 9pm. Basic sound with one microphone will be available and time can be allotted to set up your additional equipment. Time slots will be 30 minutes or 1 hour and can be booked on multiple days. Camping fees are applicable and will be charged through the Peace Island Park Board.

sand sensations

Facing page: Freshly completed sculptures. Above right: final touches. Above left: sand sculpture after three weeks. At Sand Sensations in Taylor, BC. photos Sue Popesku.

9099 100th Ave, Fort St John, BC V1J 1Y4 • 250 787 7030 1509B Alaska Ave, Dawson Creek, BC V1J 1Y4 • 250 782 7066 www.northeastnews.ca Pleased to support music, arts and culture events in Northeastern BC

DAWSON CREEK, BC

at the Encana Centre 250 782 7443 May 20 Carrie Underwood The Blown Away Tour at the Dawson Creek Art Gallery 250 782 2601 • southpeacearts.ca May 21 Lorisa Scriven

ROLLA, BC June 14, 15, 16 Sweetwater 905 Arts Festival at the Mattson Ranch, 16 km north of Dawson Creek. Celebrating the 9th year of this unique festival that brings together a wide range of talents from near and far.

TAYLOR, BC June 14, 15, 16 Spirit of the Peace Pow Wow In its 8th year, featuring Native arts and crafts, cuisine, and many Native dances.

FORT ST JOHN, BC in the community May 4 ongoing to Dec 14 Fort St. John Farmers’ Market at the North Peace Arena July 1 Canada Day Music in the Park July 11 RCMP Musical Ride at the North Peace Cultural Centre 250 785 1992 • npcc.bc.ca May 5 Corb Lund 7:30pm May 18 Northern Lights Youth Choir May 28 Strawberry Shortcake Live 3:30 & 630pm June 21 20th Anniversary GALA of NPCC 7:30pm

at JD Fitzgerald’s 250 261 9991 jdfgm@shaw.ca 9830 100 Ave May10/11 The Ramblers 8pm June 15 Devon Coyote 8pm at On The Rocks 250-261-6942 10440 100 St Every Wednesday Wings and Ribs Open Mic 8pm Last Thursday Each Month The Spotlight –Selected Bands 8pm at Headspace 10116 100 St • 250 261 6979 Every second Tuesday of each month Writer’s Open Mic 7pm at Lido Theatre 250 785 3011 May 3 & 4 ELVIS A tribute May 11 Ryan Stock Comedy Daredevil

Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013 15

where will you be on market day? By Michael Musclow Who remembers 1991? Were you

even born in 1991? The year mass audiences began to weed out the meek and polish diamonds in the rough as Comedy Central launched in the format we have all come to love or despise. A time when divide and rule continued as a West Coast Aberdeen twenty-something released an album called “Nevermind” that represented a temporary slaying of shallow music business models and as downtown Penticton was still cleaning up the mess left behind from taking advice like “Stop, Hammar Time” literally, the phoenix that became The Penticton Farmer’s Market rose for the first time and has since returned every year thereafter. From the Comox Valley Farmer’s Market in Courtenay in Vancouver Island, to the Cottonwood Market Stage in Nelson up to the Bulkley Valley Farmer’s market in Smithers and beyond, these markets continue to play a vital role in providing healthy alternatives within local communities as conventional choice in grocery stores gradually decreases as well as supporting your local economies in the process. While in 1991 I was rather content as a six year old kid resisting all urges to throw my Nintendo controller across the room because I could not get Samas Aran to defeat Ridley AND the Metroids while simultaneously mowing down a bowl of Mario Brothers shaped Kraft Dinner with ketchup or, if I was lucky, devour a most tubular cheese pizza thanks to my Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles VHS tape that included the mondo Pizza Hut coupon book that expired on December

31st of that year, My first experience with the Penticton Farmer’s Market was in 2008 where an opportunity was granted to test new acoustic material to many demographics. The thing about living on Planet Earth is we all have to eat stuff, preferably healthy stuff. Musicians have everything to gain performing your material to all walks of life. Playing for hours every weekend will allow more opportunity to sell merchandise while gradually giving artists a confident sense of who likes what and the reasons behind why. Furthermore, nothing beats freshly squeezed lemonade and a carrot or two just down the block during your break. When you catch wind of the next market in your area, take pride in knowing that as you let the smiling faces of families with their kids dancing around the notes of magic contagiously affect your positive mood, the fruits, vegetables and other goods you are purchasing not only help sustain yourself and the community around you but also represents choice in a World currently struggling to maintain it.

Comox Valley Farmer’s Market Courtenay, BC First Outdoor Market April 13 th Saturdays 9am-12pm April-Sept comoxvalleyfarmersmarket.com

"We are a year round market, operating every Saturday from 9am-12 noon. From April to October at the Comox Valley Fairgrounds on Headquarters road, across the street from Vanier School. As well as a seasonal Wednesday market July and August (check the website for the location). From late October to April we’re located in the Native Sons Hall on Cliffe at the foot of Fourth Avenue in downtown Courtenay. The market has become not only a place to buy fresh, local food, but also a showcase for the talented musicians who live in the Comox Valley. Our mobile stage was built in 1998. We have become the place for community to gather on Saturday mornings, and Wednesdays too."

Moss Street Victoria Victoria, BC First Market May 5 th Saturdays 10am-2pm May-Oct mossstreetmarket.com

With over 25 local, organic farmers, Moss Street Market is Victoria’s true farmers market. The market also has over 75 craft and food vendors, all offerings made and sold directly by the local producer. The market is complimented by local musicians, great coffee, special event days,

Above left: MarketFest street party. photo Jesse R. Woodward. Top: Cottonwood Stage. photo Jesse R. Woodward. Above right: Bowen Island Black Sheep at Penticton Farmer’s Market. photo LV Nash.

16 Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013

markets and the annual Moss Street Paint-In. With a little something for everyone, Moss Street Market is a favourite of its Fairfield neighbors and greater Victoria.

Penticton Farmer’s Market Penticton, BC First Market May 4 th Saturdays 8:30am-12pm May-Oct pentictonfarmersmarket.org

Come Enjoy the Best Market in the Okanagan. 100 Block of Main Street in Penticton. Direct from the farm every Saturday 8:3012:00. Enjoy buskers from music to dance to jugglers.

Bulkley Valley Farmers Market Smithers, BC First Outdoor Market May 11 th Saturdays 8am-Noon May-Sept bvfarmersmarket.com

Established in 1996, the Bulkley Valley Farmers’ Market Association operates both

indoor and outdoor markets in Smithers. During our lovely Summer & Fall months, we have a festive outdoor market at the corner of Main Street and Highway 16 with local musicians every weekend. The live entertainment lifts everyone’s spirits, even on rainy days! Our objective is to provide an outlet for local farm and artisan products; we have a ‘make, bake, or grow’ policy. We are committed to providing a venue for quality products and to facilitating social, economic and cultural activities that improve the community as a whole.

Cottonwood Market Stage Nelson, BC First Market May 18 th Saturdays 9:30am-3pm May-Oct ecosociety.ca/markets/cottonwoodmarket

The Cottonwood Market features an array of different vendors and products, and the performances of local musicians. The market is only a short walk from Baker Street and Nelson’s downtown. The atmosphere

is always relaxed and many great musicians cross our stage all summer long.

Whistler Farmer’s Market Upper Village Whistler, BC First Market June 16 th Sundays 11am-4pm and Wednesdays 3pm-7pm whistlerfarmersmarket.org

The Whistler Farmers Market is a registered non-profit society dedicated to the promotion of locally produced foods and crafts. We adhere to the 100% made, baked or grown policy of the B.C. Association of Farmers Markets. From humble beginnings of one farm and a couple of crafters in the summer of 1994, the market now hosts an average of 80 vendors showcasing fresh fruit, produce, artisan crafts and food products. Located at the base of Blackcomb Mountain, the Whistler Farmers Market welcomes residents and resort guests alike as they interact in the festive atmosphere accented by assorted entertainers.

Pleased to support arts & cultural events in the Central Okanagan

Meadowlark Nature Festival Go Batty in Peachland! Peachland primary school building May 16, 7:30 p.m - 9:30 p.m. Join Tanya Luszcz, bat biologist, for an interactive slide show to learn about the biology, behaviour and conservation issues of the bats of Peachland. Tanya will dispel some of the common myths about bats, and you will then stroll through Peachland primary school building to view the entrance to the bat roost outside to watch the bats exit from the school for a night of foraging on insects. You might even get to see a bat up close! A bat house will be raffled with proceeds going to the Peachland Bat Colony. Event held in conjunction with the Peachland Chamber of Commerce.

World of Wheels Car Show Downtown Peachland May 19, 11 a.m - 4 p.m. Expect to see hundreds of cars, trucks, motorcycles and antique boats at the 16th annual car show. Vehicles will be on display for viewRutland May Days ing in Cousins Park as well as for Rutland Centennial Park, Kelowna about 2 km along Beach Avenue in May 16 - 19 Peachland. Check out rides, great food vendors and a parade at the 54th May Days Peachland Art Group Show & Sale presented by the Rutland Park “Artists Go Batty!” Society. This year’s Rutland May Peachland Community Centre Days event will also include live May 25-26 musical entertainment, 10 Big West Annual art show and sale. Wrestling Shows, six hours of lawn mower racing, contests, games, a Peachland Farmers and Crafters fashion show, bingo, community Market displays, and more. Heritage Park, Peachland Sundays from May 26-Sept 29 Check out farm fresh produce and crafts at the Peachland Farmers and Crafters Market, which takes place every Sunday from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at Heritage Park.

Fat Cat Children’s Festival June 7-8 Waterfront Park, Kelowna An amazing festival full of artistic adventures, exciting experiences and family fun. Bang your Djembe drums, play in the mud, carve soapstone or practice circus yoga! And don’t forget the parade on Saturday from 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Lille Gard Festival Bottega Farm Inn, Kelowna June 28 -30 The 4th annual Lille Gard Festival is a family-friendly music and arts festival organized by TribeHouse Artist Collective, which will feature visual arts, dance, speakers, spoken word, and of course all the music your ears can handle. All profits from the festival will benefit charities; ‘Hands in Service” locally and the Najenga Congo Project internationally.

PEACHLAND VIEW | 4437 3rd St, Peachland, BC V0H 1X7 250 767 7771 | www.peachlandview.com

Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013 17

revolution rock By Barb Bruederlin Music may be eternal, but the times they are always a changin. The zeitgeist that defines us never stops shifting, and since music reflects our lives back to us, musical styles and genres tend to peak and wane with the decades. The ubiquity of hip hop today reflects the prevalence of urban life (even if much of the music is now embraced by white kids in the suburbs). In the 50’s, the rise of teen culture was heralded by rock and roll, while the driving disco beat of the 70’s ushered in gay and club culture. For most, protest songs are synonymous with the anti-war movement of 1960’s America. A time of rebellion that was fuelled by a youth uprising which swept the land, and backed by folk revivalism, the 60’s marked the heyday of the modern protest song. But the protest song was certainly not invented by, or the exclusive domain of, the long-haired hippie folksinger in sandals and a fringed vest. In actuality, our species has been channelling its collective righteous indignation into verse since Grok and his pals were unjustly turfed from the cave and will continue to do so when our robot overlords start using us as power sources. In every corner of the world, citizens have been chanting, screaming and voicing their protest through music that transcends all genres. From rousing anthems of political propaganda to snarling growls of derision to clandestine calls to throw off the shackles of bondage, these songs unite, incite and empower. For centuries, songs have been successfully used to fuel revolutions, or to counter them. It matters not what side of the sword you are on, there is always a soundtrack to bolster your resolve. La Marseillaise proved to be great music to guillotine by when adopted by the French republic in the late 1700’s; The Internationale, written in the late 1800’s, remains an enduring anthem of the revolutionary left to this day. National anthems do tend to stay at the top of the charts for a very long time. Proving that songs of propaganda never really go out of style, Iain Inglis, a British ex-pat living in China, recently soared up the ranks in China’s Got Talent by singing Red Army songs to bemused audiences, rousing ditties like that old chestnut Socialism is Good. Banking on underlying nostalgia for the good old revolutionary days, Inglis coasted all the way to the national semi-finals. Presumably his fractured Mandarin and One of the great things about the new-folk revolution is the political potency of so much of the music that is going on at festivals today. Whether it’s storytelling or an overt call to arms, the new folk music scene is filled with rallying cries for social justice and environmental action. It’s also great to see traditional music events like Miners Memorial on the Island or the Princeton Traditional Music Festival developing bigger followings and profile. These events carry an important torch for the music of activism and revolution and help to teach it to a new generation of players and listeners. But if you’re looking for a more nostalgic version of revolutionary music, festivals have lots of that to offer this summer too. Here are a few classics...

the natty Red Army uniform he wore also scored him some bonus points. At the opposite end of the musical and political spectrum, the feminist punk collective Pussy Riot is currently challenging the political status quo in Russia, giving both Vladamir Putin and the Russian Orthodox church a major headache. As much performance art as punk rock protest, these ladies know the value of a well thrown-together outfit, showing up in churches sporting day-glo balaclavas and getting jailed for odes such as Putin Zassal (Putin Has Pissed Himself). Like the punk history from which they have evolved, Pussy Riot knows the power of bravado in performance. Sometimes, though, a protest song is far more telling than the lyrics would have you believe. African slaves in the American south sang spirituals ostensibly as work songs, to keep time with the rhythm of communal labour. More covertly, though, these soaring spirituals were used to deliver messages of escape amongst the knowing. Swing Low, Sweet Chariot may have seemed like a religious hymn to the masters, but the rousing spiritual hid coded messages and virtual maps of the Underground Railroad deep within the words. The timeliness of the protest song has never really waned. The songs of the common man - those machines that kill fascists - which arose from the dustbowl of the Great Depression still ring remarkably true in the digital age. The anthems of outrage that stem from times of worker conflict, most notably Britain’s bitter 1984 miners’ strike, still resound in the hands and the voices of modern day troubadours who keep the protest tradition alive. Recently concert-goers in Calgary were lucky enough to attend a Billy Bragg performance on the very night of Margaret Thatcher’s death. Talk about your lucky timing! The firebrand British musician and left-wing activist, who has made a career out of inciting enthralled audiences with his protest songs and his storytelling, opened the night with a cover of a song that was never intended to be a political statement. Since Thatcher’s death, however, Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead from The Wizard of Oz has been trending near the top of the UK music charts. So don’t get rid of your vintage tie-die just yet. There’s always room for some protest gear in your closet, especially since the revolution will be televised. Steve Earl (USA) Calgary Folk Music Festival (July 25-28) Garland Jeffreys (USA) Calgary Folk Music Festival (July 25-28) Indigo Girls (USA) Winnipeg Folk Festival (July 10-14) and Vancouver Island Music Fest (July 12-14) Bruce Cockburn (CAN) Edmonton Folk Festival (Aug 8-11) and Salmon Arm Roots & Blues Festival (Aug 16-18) Ky-Mani Marley (Jamaica/USA) at Salmon Arm Roots & Blues Festival (Aug 16-18)

18 Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013

islands folk fest By Bobby Herron Islands Folk Festival doesn’t take itself too seriously nor does it claim to want to be the biggest festival on the west coast. It’s presented by folks who love folks and understand that the people’s music isn’t generally performed by glamorous, mega famous or overpaid artists who travel around in luxury tour buses and demand vegan, wheat free chocolate chip cookies as part of their rider. Islands is situated on Providence Farm on the edge of the lush, fertile Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island. The farm is a heritage site operated by an organization that among other things provides therapeutic gardening activities for people with disabilities and other challenges. It’s worth the ticket just to be able to hang out in the gardens and camp with all the delightful folk musicians and West Coast free-spirited, Westy-driving festival goers. What makes Islands so enjoyable is its scale and its easy-going, family vibe. And the music. As frequent performers, volunteers and festival organizers ourselves we’ve found Islands to be fairly well run and hospitable with programming that runs from an ethnic ensemble to a quirky poetry dance set in a garden pavilion. A couple of years ago I saw one of the most exciting acts I’ve heard at any festival ever. Urban Folk Quartet, a relatively unknown act here but loved in parts of Europe, tore up the mainstage with a scintillating set. At that point I said to myself – ‘never underestimate the power of folk music and expect the unexpected at this festival.’ I was hooked. There are six stages at Islands including two in a big heritage building and one way out in the garden where some pretty eclectic programming happens among the geraniums, daisies and roses. Okay – those are the only flowers I can name but you get the picture. If you want to knock back a few brews, you can do so in the outdoor beer garden which is strategically placed in the perfect position for maximum mainstage viewing and listening. Camping is fun at this festival however like most events of this kind I suggest you get there early enough to get a good site or have a friend set up a spot for you in a sort of caravan fashion. I wasn’t kidding about the Volkswagon Westfalias. There were dozens at last year’s festival. It’s all part of the folk cultural phenomenon. Islands is a venue for the veterans as well as up and coming, intrepid songwriters as they travel the long, dusty trail of strangy folkdom where callused hearts and fingers bring a little dusting of truth and redemption to loyal listeners.

Whoa Baby! Pro-festival-attendee Cadence at Islands Folk Fest. photo Bobby Herron.

Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013 19

Kiran Ahluwalia tills The Common Ground By Dave O Rama Born in the Punjab region of South Asia, Kiran Ahluwalia began her musical education at the tender age of five. Her parents were very passionate about music and continued providing their daughter with a musical education even after they had immigrated to Toronto when she was still very young. Although music was greatly revered in the Ahluwalia household it was still not considered a solid path to a secure and successful career, so daughter Kiran was encouraged to pursue a post-secondary education in the field of commerce. After securing a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Relations Ahluwalia had what she describes as a “living dream.” “I saw myself as if I had followed the path that everyone had laid out for me – and if I had done everything right and gotten the job that I was seeking – I saw myself as a ninety year old woman in a home in the suburbs, and I saw my end that way. That vision scared the hell out of me and I knew I just wasn’t ready for that as a young woman in my early twenties.” So at that moment Ahluwalia made a deal with herself “that if this was supposed to be my life then I would accept that. But for at least one year what I really want to do is immerse myself full time in music.” Ahluwalia then sought out a music guru in India and spent the next two years fully focused on her musical passion. When she returned she still was unsure of her direction so she then spent two years obtaining an MBA at Dalhousie University, and once again tested the waters of the financial services industry. But, she admits, “When I actually got into bond trading I hated it so much that I left.” “When I left I didn’t make a conscious decision to make music my career – it never was a conscious decision – I was just incredibly lucky.” Lucky because very early on she was asked to perform with an Indian dance troupe that she ended up touring with nationally. She then recorded her excellent debut Kashish-Attraction. Soon after she was “approached by an agent, and they ended up booking tours for me. Then people like you became interested in my music.” Even though Ahluwalia had first committed to a year focusing on her music, she confesses that “it took more like ten

years.” Ahluwalia recalls a very early performance at the Winnipeg Folk Festival about fifteen years ago. It was a daytime performance and the heat was unbearable. It was so stifling that she was sure the audience was completely disinterested in her musical offerings delivered in a foreign tongue. A panic rose up inside her and after only her first song. Her fear was such that she wanted to just get up and flee from the stage.

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20 Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013

kiran ahluwalia Instead she timidly asked the audience “Do you want to hear another Punjabi folk song?” And was amazed to hear the audience of ten thousand people joyously shout YES. Now fifteen years later Ahluwalia is thankful “there have been enough people who have been saying yes. So, I have continued singing.” Singing in Urdu and Punjabi, Ahluwalia’s musical specialization is in Punjabi folk music and the ancient poetic art form known as Ghazal. A thousand year old form of musical poetry where the words and the musical composition are distinctly specialized tasks that are brought together by separate creators. Ahluwalia herself sometimes creates both words and music for a few of her compositions, but over the years she has primarily sought out ghazal writers to provide her with poetry that she is inspired to compose music for. Over the years Ahluwalia has released four studio recordings, all of them nominated for JUNO Awards. Two of them (Beyond Boundaries and Aam Zameen/Common Ground) winning her the JUNO Award for Best World Music Recording, and her latest, Aam Zameen, also landing her a Canadian Folk Music Award. Ahluwalia’s golden voice has also attracted many collaborators. She has performed with the Winnipeg Chamber Orchestra and the Chicago Sinfonietta. Some of her past musical accomplices include Celtic fiddler Natalie MacMaster, Inuit throat singer, Tanya Tagaq, electronica groups Eccodek and Delerium, and her long time musical collaborator, and husband, American jazz guitarist, Rez Abbasi. Over the years she has also infused her music with flavors from Portuguese fado guitar to African percussion and beyond. In 2004 Ahluwalia became “mesmerized” by the music of the Tuareg people of Northern Mali, particularly the electronic desert blues of the Saharan band Tinariwen. She began researching other Tuareg bands thinking this might be a “momentary passion.” “But no, it wouldn’t leave me. I wanted to keep hearing Tuareg music, I wanted to keep learning about it.” Although the Tuareg blues style was difficult to interlace with Ghazal compositional structure Ahluwalia managed to compose a Tuareg influenced song for her 2007 release Wanderlust. Soon after she connected with British guitarist Justin Adams (Jah Wobble’s Invaders Of The Heart), who was not only known as an African blues aficionado but also the producer of many of Tinariwen’s recordings. Adams would later suggest that Ahluwalia not only write music in the Tuareg style but that she should consider actually recording with Tuareg musicians. This would lead to Ahluwalia spending ten days in a Paris studio collaborating with both Tinariwen and lesser known Tuareg group Terakaft on sessions for her 2011 release Aam Zameen. And last year she was thrilled to be invited to perform with Tinariwen at the infamous Festival au Desert in Mali, which she describes as “a life changing experience.” As someone who has followed Ahluwalia’s musical career from the beginning I think Aam Zameen is her best work to date. The recording is saturated with incredible guest per-

formances including Tinariwen, Terakaft, jazz funk drummer Mike Clark, Lebanese trumpeter Ibrahim Maalouf, Gambian griot Juldeh Camara, santur and trumpet player Amir ElSaffar, Justin Adams (who also coproduced the record with Rez Abbasi), as well as many of her long time musical accomplices from Canada and the United States. The recording beautifully incorporates Asian, Middle Eastern and African elements, creating a sonically rich tapestry that perfectly complements Ahluwalia’s epic vocalizations. Ahluwalia has been busy over the past few months performing live with her touring ensemble. She has just completed a series of concerts in Washington, Oregon, British Columbia and Alberta, in addition to her work on a new CD release that this time around will focus on compositions performed with her familiar collective of North American musicians that she has toured and recorded with during her fifteen year career in music. But if you missed Kiran Ahluwalia’s performances in British Columbia during her brief spring tour, you’ll get another chance to experience her incredible vocal stylizations when she takes to the stage this summer at the Vancouver Island Music Festival in the Comox Valley, July 13 and 14. I suspect more western dates will be added in the coming months, so keep yourself up to date at kiranmusic.com.

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Check out The Lovecast podcasts at ITunes, dailysplice.com and chly.ca “The Lovecast with Dave O Rama” on Facebook

Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013 21

a final journey: you've heard this story before By Eden Oliver Do you know what sucks? Getting on a Greyhound bus and leaving your Mom’s car behind at a Ford dealership in William’s Lake with no concrete idea of what’s wrong with it, how much it’ll cost to fix, and how you’re going to get it back to her. But as everyone keeps telling me: “Hey. At least you didn’t catch it on fire or sell it for drug money.” Let’s retrace. This last summer I was on the Homesick Blues tour with my Cascadian-indie-folk band West My Friend. We were winding our way across urban and rural BC, promoting our first full length album and hitting up all of our hometowns while we were at it. It was our first proper tour and it had been going alarmingly well. Looking back, this should have been foreshadowing enough. Most of our driving had been calmly tolerable up to this point, given the sometimes sprawling nature of BC’s highwayscape. But our one intense day of tour driving was still coming up. We had managed, through sheer-determination, to book ourselves into two festivals in one weekend. One was in Haida Gwaii and the other in Victoria. And we were travelling by car. Our day of driving went as such. We finished playing Haida Gwaii Edge of the World Music Festival on Friday night, then got on the ferry, sleeping overnight as it sailed into Prince Rupert (sleep: 4 hours). We were on the road by 5:30 am. We had a brief stop in Terrace to pick up gear and a few gas stops, but we pretty much kept trucking until our car started shuddering on uphills and flashing its engine light about an hour out of William’s Lake. The plan was to get to Chilliwack that night and to wake up the next morning to get on the ferry to Victoria so we could play FolkWest in the early afternoon. But Hildegard von Westerkamp* had other ideas. Needless to say, when you’re told that there is a good chance

your vehicle could catch on fire if you continue driving it, it’s a good time to park it and make alternate plans. So in a half an hour turnaround we loaded our gear onto a Greyhound (double bass, sound equipment, instruments, suitcases, etc.), said goodbye to Hildegard, and departed at 8:30 pm from Williams Lake. We arrived at 4:30 am at Coquitlam Station (sleep: 1 hour) and waited until 7 am for my uncle to pick us and our gear up with his truck to drive us to the ferry (sleep: 15 minutes). After the ferry our favourite friend Dave Lang picked us up and drove us into Victoria. We had about 1 hour to get ready for our show (sleep: 15 minutes). By our afternoon show we had travelled 1,827 km and I had slept approximately 5 hours for two nights. The best part? Every touring musician who is reading this story just nodded their heads knowingly. This is the life we choose! We’ve come away with a few understandings: 1) Tour vehicles break down. 2) Miss-firing catalytic converters are not something one messes around with. 3) Never be afraid to ask your friends for help. 4) Despite the apparent cultural acceptance of it, being drunk on a Greyhound bus is not cool. It makes you noisy and unnerving, thus making it difficult for others (ie: me) to sleep. 5) Your mom will always love you, even if you almost catch her car on fire. *Early on in the tour we dubbed our tour car Hildegard von Westerkamp. A hybrid of Hildergard von Bingham and Hildegard Westerkamp; two beloved, but somewhat obscure, musicians known to our group. We thoroughly acknowledge this name reeks of multiple music degrees.

Above left: Beginning to unload our car in order to get our stuff onto the Greyhound. Above right: Us waiting at Coquitlam station at roughly 4:30 am after the Greyhound bus dropped us off but before the station opened. photo contributed.

22 Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013

festivals: may-june Concerts in the Park May - Sept Lower Mainland, BC

Multi-venue concert series from May until Sept throughout the Lower Mainland: Malkin Bowl - Vancouver; Deer Lake Park - Burnaby; Holland Park - Surrey, PNE Amphitheatre - Vancouver; Ambleside Park - West Vancouver.

concertsinthepark.net

Spring Okanagan Wine Festival May 2nd - 12th Thompson Okanagan, BC

Over the first ten days in May, the Spring Okanagan Wine Festival hosts 100 events throughout the Valley.

thewinefestivals.com

Kids FunFest

111+ consecutive nights of live music, with performances every (yes, every) night at the Tree House Café. Wow!

May 11th & 12th Newton, BC

Newton City Hall Grounds - Music, fun & games for the wee ones.

newtoncommunitypride.org/kids-fun-fest

Victoria Highland Games & Celtic Festival May 11th - 19th Victoria, BC

The 150th Annual festival will feature a full 9 days of celebrations throughout Greater Victoria including the Tartan Parade, Kilted Golf Tournament, Tilted Kilt Pub Crawl, Torchlight Ceremony and, of course the 2-day Highland Games and Celtic Festival.

victoriahighlandgames.com

Music Under the Stars May 15th start of 111 nightly shows. Salt Spring Island, BC

treehousecafe.ca

Attack of Danger BayLongboard Race May 16th - 22nd Sunshine Coast, BC coastlongboarding.com/dangerbay

Barkerville Historic Town May 16th – Sept 29th Barkerville, BC

Billy Barker’s discovery of gold in 1862 triggered a stampede of thousands of miners and fortune seekers from all over the world. Declared a National Historic Site of Canada in 1923, and later a Provincial Heritage Site in 1958, Barkerville is the largest historic site in western North America.

barkerville.ca

Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013 23

festivals: may-june Vancouver Island Music Workshop Nanoose, BC spring retreat May 10th - 12th Workshop September 6th - 8th

If you’re looking for somewhere to get started in music, hone your musical skills or kickstart yourself back into music after a period of time away from it, you’ve found the right place in the Vancouver Island Music Workshop. Their Mission is to provide an unforgettable weekend of music making and instruction within a supportive community and in a magical setting for a wide selection of instruments and voices. Both events are held at Seven Springs Resort outside Nanoose.

vancouverislandmusicworkshop.com

May Days May 16th - 19th Rutland, BC

Presented by the Rutland Park Society, outdoor stage at Centennial Park line-up has been growing over the past years. Featuring; hours of live musical entertainment, 10 Big West Wrestling Shows, 6 hours of lawn mower racing, contests, games, fashion show, vendors, bingo, parade, community displays, West Coast Amusements and more.

KelownaEvents.info

Kootenanny Music Festival May 17th - 20th Creston, BC

North of Creston on East Shore. Over 10 bands from rock to reggae, accoustic, electronic DJs, workshops, vendors. Very happy vibe, all ages and camping available.

kootenanny.lovefire.ca

Roberts Creek Arts Festival May 17th - 19th Roberts Creek, BC

Three days of music, art, film and food, set in ten unique and diverse studio locations set in old growth forests.

robertscreekartsfestival.com

Alluvium May 18th - 20th Squamish, BC

of music by artists from around the globe and your local favourites. Two stages with their own unique vibes

facebook.com/events/392394134189500

Cumberland Days May 18th - 20th Cumberland, BC

Saturday Street Market, Live Music Events, Giant Holiday Monday Parade.

cumberlandbc.org

Opera Nuova Vocal Arts Festival May 18th - June29th Edmonton, AB

Celebrates Canadian vocal artists while creating an accessible and unique blend of innovative and inspiring vocal performances. operanuova.ca

Cathedral Village Arts Festival May 20th - 25th Regina, SK

The six-day festival features performing, visual and literary arts, crafts and performances. It offers professional artists the opportunity to present their work to new audiences; emerging artists a venue to introduce themselves; and avant-garde artists a supportive arena to share their talents. The festival invites children, youth and adults to create, participate and enjoy the arts in all of its diversity.

cathedralartsfestival.ca

Surrey’s Children’s Festival May 23th - 25th Surrey, BC

The annual Surrey Children’s Festival inspires young hearts and minds to greater possibilities, and celebrates our rich and diverse cultural heritage through performing and visual arts experiences.

surrey.ca/7664.aspx

Britannia Classic Longboard Race May 24th - 26th Britannia Beach, BC britanniaclassic.com

Located on private land with river access. The time has come again for the tribes to gather for a weekend of pure bliss! 3 days

24 Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013

Canadian Rockies Cowboy Festival May 24th - 26th Nordegg, AB Located on Hwy 11 at Cline River, AB.

Good old-fashioned country music & cowboy poetry with the majestic Rocky Mountains as a backdrop. Festival includes a steak BBQ and evening dances with a live band. A variety of on-site accommodations are available and you can check out all the other amenities our resort has to offer - fun for the whole family!

davidthompsonresort.com/specialevents

Juan De Fuca Festival of the Arts May 24th - 27th Port Angeles, WA

With a beautiful setting nestled snugly between the Olympic Mountains and the Strait of Juan de Fuca, four days and nights of unparalleled artistry, a street fair filled with a garden of earthly delights, a fun after-hours program and so much more, it probably seems too good to be true.

jffa.org

Lund Shellfish Festival May 24th - 26th Lund, BC

Eat fresh-cooked seafood, enjoy local musicians, take a tour, watch free cooking demonstrations, buy some live shellfish, shop at the booths, enter a contest, or sample special menu items at the restaurants - there are activities for everyone!

lundbc.ca/shellfishfest2013

Northwest Folklife Festival May 24th - 27th Seattle, WA

An annual festival of ethnic, folk, and traditional art, crafts, and music at Seattle Center. It brings together an estimated 250,000 visitors, 1,800 volunteers, and more than 6,000 musicians, dancers, and other performers. Admission is free, but donations are encouraged.

nwfolklife.org/festival

Sasquatch Music Festival May 24th - 27th The Gorge Amphitheater, WA

Held annually at the Gorge Amphitheatre in George, Washington with an emphasis

festivals: may-june on indie rock bands and singer-songwriters, although there are also alternative rock, hip hop and comedy acts.

sasquatchfestival.com

European Festival May 25th & 26th Burnaby, BC

This annual celebration offers chance to experience diverse European culture, cuisine, entertainment and more. Held at Swangard Stadium.

eurofestbcsociety.com

Seabird Island First Nations Festival May 25th - 27th Agassiz, BC

Offers youth, young adults, and adults alike an opportunity to showcase their culture and history through Soccer, BallHockey, War Canoe races and Sla:hal. This three-day celebration demonstrates First Nations heritage through friendly competition in sport. The Seabird Island First Nations Festival is a drug-free cultural event that promotes healthy lifestyles and wellbeing.

seabirdisland.ca/page/seabird-islandfestival

Serenity Music by the River Concerts May 25th, June 15th, July 13th, Aug 17th & Sept 7th Birch Island, just north of Clearwater, BC

Serenity is a unique outdoor venue where “music lovers” come together. It is located in beautiful Birch Island, a tiny village, in the interior of BC. Serenity is simply, a musical experience you will never forget for we have created this magical environment with the stage overlooking the North Thompson River. Camping is free!

serenitymusic.ca

Summerland Action Festival May 31st - June 2nd Summerland, BC

Annual festival features a slo-pitch tournament, outdoor entertainment, fireworks, Man of Steel triathlon, parade, Giants Head run, and more.

summerlandactionfestival.com

Banff Summer Arts Festival June - Aug Banff, AB

Every summer, The Banff Centre welcomes artists from across Canada and around the world to create the Banff Summer Arts Festival. Their creative energy and high octane enthusiasm becomes supercharged in the high altitude and brisk mountain air of Banff National Park.

banffcentre.ca

BC BellyFest May 31st - June 2nd Penticton, BC

Get Bent’s Annual festival featuring performers from across BC. Celebrate music and Bellydance! Arabic, Gypsy, Bollywood, Tribal, Folk and more!

bcbellyfest.com

Brentwood Bay Festival June 1st, 9am-4pm Brentwood Bay, BC

Parade, food vendors, market vendors, kids’ entertainment, fantastic live music & comedy acts, a dog fashion show, games, face painting, and more.

brentwoodbay.info/Festival

Firehall Brewery, Back-Alley Concert Series June - Aug Oliver, BC

Live music meets craft beer below Oliver’s colourful Old Firehall. Bring your own chair & picnic foods, and enjoy fresh Firehall Brewery draught beer & local wines under psychedelic shade sails.

FirehallBrewery.com

Coco’s Bistro Princeton, BC Proudly Serving Cowboy Coffee

Open at 4:30 a.m. every day OPEN STAGE SATURDAYS CITY BREWS - COUNTRY VIEWS We Bake our own Muffins, Cookies & Squares Freshly Made Healthy Sandwiches Outdoor Deck • Organic, Fair-Trade Coffee

255 Vermilion Ave., Princeton, BC (Hwy 3 & Vermilion, across from Chevron)

250 295 3431

Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013 25

festivals: may-june Heart of the City Festival June 2nd - 3rd Edmonton, AB

A music and arts festival, part of the rich cultural climate in Edmonton’s core since 2004, taking place in Little Italy’s Giovanni Caboto Park.

heartcityfest.com

PotashCorp Children’s Festival June 2nd - 5th Saskatoon, SK

Located in Saskatoon, it is the only international multidisciplinary arts festival dedicated to children in Saskatchewan.

potashcorpchildrensfestival.com

SongFire Festival of Song June 2nd - 26th Vancouver, BC

The festival celebrates art song, the powerful realm of fused poetry and music - gateway to a rich world where history, sociology, psychology and philosophy meet in a musical experience of unforgettable intensity. Concerts, master classes, lectures, workshops, films, and theatre.

songinstitute.ca

Elevate the Arts June 4th - 8th Courtenay, BC

A free multi-disciplinary urban arts and culture adventure in the heart of the beautiful Comox Valley. Myriad events, performances and engagements take place in the nooks, crannies, stairwells, rooftops, halls, pubs, plazas and alley of the community. Culminating in a 2 day street party filled with surprises. Explore, excite, experiment, evolve, Elevate!

elevatethearts.com

Arts Without Borders Festival June 5th - 21st Lloydminster, AB (SK)

Street festival, street dance, art market, celebration of the arts.

artswithoutborders.ca

Envision Twilight Concert Series June 5th - Aug 30th Mission, BC

Presenting summer evening entertainment at the Fraser River Heritage Park. Bring a lawn chair or blanket and a picnic to this “by donation” event.

heritagepark-mission.ca/twilightconcerts

Chetwynd International Chainsaw Carving Championship June 6th - 9th Chetwynd, BC

Over 20 unique sculptures are part of the interesting outdoor gallery of chainsaw carvings created by the best carvers from around the world. Sculptures depict fantasy, animals, cowboys and more are displays in the streets throughout the town. The weekend draws thousands of people for food, fun and music while watching the chainsaw artists vie for top prizes.

chetwyndchainsawchampionship.com

Music Waste Festival June 6th - 9th Vancouver, BC

Music Waste is Vancouver’s premier independent cultural festival.

musicwaste.ca

Nextfest June 6th - 16th Edmonton, AB

A springtime multi-disciplinary arts festival dedicated to providing professional development opportunities and exposure to emerging artists. Visit multiple venues along the 124th Street corridor.

nextfest.ca

Seafest June 6th - 9th Prince Rupert, BC

Features family entertainment, a seniors’ tea, youth blockstock, a parade, downtown events and games, and various harbour waterfront events such as a sailpast, flypast, kayak races, and a children’s fishing derby.

prspecialevents.com/Page7

In the House Festival June 7th - 9th Vancouver, BC

Experience extraordinary live performances of all kinds right in the homes of Commercial Dr. living rooms and backyards, as they become intimate and vibrant spaces that are multicultural, multidisciplinary and open to all ages. Come celebrate Vancouver’s rich variety of artistic disciplines and communities in a heart-warming weekend of mind-bogglingly great talent! It’s 3 days, 19 shows and over 60 acts in a dozen houses!

inthehousefestival.com

Interior Savings Fat Cat Children’s Festival June 7th & 8th Kelowna, BC

Experience all kinds of great workshops, actitivity stations and performers. Bang your Djembe Drums, Play in the Mud, Carve Soapstone or Practice Circus Yoga ... all kinds of fun, exploratory workshops await you.

fatcatfestival.ca

Kluane Mountain Bluegrass Festival June 7th - 9th Whitehorse, YK

The Kluane Mountain Bluegrass Festival will take place at the Yukon Arts Centre. Presenting some of the most celebrated bluegrass bands in North America.

yukonartscentre.com/calendar/event/ kluane_mountain_bluegrass_festival

Open Sky Music Festival June 7th - 9th Edmonton, AB

Piano performance in a crosswalk? Normal sight at Elevate the Arts. photo Bobby Herron.

26 Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013

Canada’s premier surf rock, reggae and roots music festival.

openskymusicfestival.com

festivals: may-june Pender Harbour Blues Festival June 7th - 9th Pender Harbour, BC

The Pender Harbour Blues Festival will be presenting some of the best Blues Musicians the West Coast has to offer. The Festival is set at unique venues around the beautiful and scenic Pender Harbour, making this a boater friendly event, easily accessible by water. Info and ticket sales will be available on website.

penderharbourbluesfestival.com

Summerland Bluegrass Festival June 7th - 9th Summerland, BC

Held annually on the second weekend of June. Join us for jamming, workshops, entertainment, open mic, band scramble, children’s activities and more. Features Saturday night feature band. Acoustic players and audience welcome.

summerlandbluegrass.com

Vernon DH-Longboard Race June 7th - 9th Vernon, BC vernondh.com

May 10th - 12th Malakwa, BC

Follow the good vibrations into Malakwa, the heart of the Shuswap, & feel the wompquake coming from Cedar’s Campground this spring! Camping sites are included in the festival ticket price.

emeraldcompass.ca

Bard on the Beach June 11th - Sept 14th Vancouver, BC

Bard on the Beach is one of Canada’s largest not-for-profit, professional Shakespeare festivals. Presented in a magnificent setting on the waterfront in Vancouver’s Vanier Park, the festival offers Shakespeare plays, related dramas, and several special events in two performance tents.

bardonthebeach.org

JazzFest Regina June 12th - 16th Regina, SK

Presented by Winding Rivers Arts & Performance Society. The popular evening concerts are held at the gazebo in Heritage Place Park. Bring a chair, a blanket, a picnic dinner or buy dinner from one of our food vendors. Donations encouraged.

June 13th - Aug 29th Trail, BC

Summer concerts in Gyro Park Thursday evenings.

trail-arts.com

Pincher Creek Gathering Celebrating music & poetry in the cowboy tradition since 1988.

pcgathering.com

Sam Steele Days June 13th - 16th Cranbrook, BC

Cranbrook’s annual festival held at Spirit Square featuring fun and excitement for the whole family including a kids’ fun zone, strongman competition, parade, ball tournament, community stage entertainment, arts and crafts and displays.

samsteeledays.org

jazzfestregina.com

June - Aug, 2nd and 4th Wed nights Ashcroft, BC

Music in the Park

June 13th - 16th Pincher Creek, AB

JazzFest Regina welcomes artists from all over North America and from Victoria to Halifax in Canada.

Music in the Park

windingriversarts.ca

Felurian Grove Music Festival

Wednesday On the Wharf June - Aug Salmon Arm, BC

Outdoor summer concert series Wednesday evenings at Marine Park. Admission is by donation; bring your lawn chair or blanket.

Skylands HD-LongBoard June 13th-15th Kelowna, BC skylandsdh.ca

1913 Days June 14th&16th Sylvan Lake, AB

Parade, kidszone, family activities.

sylvanlake.ca

salmonarmdowntown.com/ wednesdayonthewharf

TE SUMM A M ER I T L Be partGetofinit!touch to advertise:

info@bcmusicianmag.com

meg@bcmusicianmag.com donna@bcmusicianmag.com www.bcmusicianmag.com

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Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013 27

festivals: may-june BC Shellfish Festival June 14 & 15th Comox, BC

The BC Shellfish Festival is the largest shellfish festival on the West Coast. A two-day event that brings people from near and far to meet farmers, sample a delectable array of food from the sea, and learn the tips of pros during our day-long cooking demos. Not a lot of music but we love oysters too.

bcshellfishfestival.ca

Canadian Rockies Bluegrass & Folk Festival June 14th - 16th Cline River, AB

Come join us in the Rockies for a weekend full of great music. You can’t beat the mountain scenery or our famous steak BBQ (included with festival tickets). Bring your own instrument for our evening jam sessions once the mainstage closes. Located on-site at the David Thompson Resort with a variety of available accommodations & amenities.

davidthompsonresort.com/specialevents

Gibsons Landing Jazz Festival June 14th - 16th Gibsons Landing, BC

The festival weekend is preceded by ‘Jazz Week’, a full week of live music in local restaurants and other venues to promote the talented musicians on the Sunshine Coast and create interest in the Jazz Festival weekend. The weekend festival will include workshops, and two days of outdoor stage performances overlooking the stunning Gibsons Harbour.

coastjazz.com

Inshala Festival June 14th - 17th Fort McCloud, AB

From speakers to movement workshops to art explorations, plus a kids zone, art installations and a walking labyrinth. Our evenings will be filled with soothing sounds, groovy beats, and inspiring performers for all ages.

inshala.ca

Sooke River Bluegrass Festival June 14th - 16th Sooke, BC

Held at the Sooke River Campground, the event is family friendly and features a wide range of local acoustic talent, food vendors and music workshops.

sookebluegrass.com/festival

Spirit of the Peace Pow Wow June 14th - 16th Taylor, BC

A traditional Pow wow held at the District Ice Center in Taylor, BC (14km south of Fort St. John). A FREE family event that will include Native arts and crafts vendors, Native cuisine, an elders care tent, a hand drum contest and more.

districtoftaylor.com/visit/taylor-special-events/spirit-of-the-peace-powwow

Sweetwater 905 Arts Festival June 14th - 16th Rolla, BC

This truly unique festival is set on the sprawling pastoral home and working ranch of Emily and Larry Mattson. A celebration of music, poetry, visual and performing arts, Sweetwater 905 brings together a wide range of amazing talent. The stage is set for a great slate of performers booked and ready to sing, play, and exhibit their artworks and creativity.

sweetwater905.com

Sylvia’s Music Festival June 14th - 16th Quesnel, BC

A safe, fun, family event for everyone.

sylviascafe.com

Casse-Tête: A Festival of Experimental Music June 15th & 16th Prince George, BC

Casse-Tête is a new festival of experimental music—improvisation, free jazz, avant-garde compositions, minimalism, post-rock, noise, and more. Featured performers come from around BC and Alberta along with the radical side of Prince George’s own fertile scene. A totally unique festival experience!

cassetetefestival.tumblr.com

28 Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013

Sunshine Festival June 15th Vernon, BC

Downtown Vernon truly comes alive with block after block of outstanding bargains, live entertainment, children’s activities, outside street cafés, art & cultural performances and so much more.

downtownvernon.com

Surrey Fest Downtown June 15th Surrey, BC

The Surrey Fest Downtown (originally known as the Whalley Community Festival) was formed in 1999 to promote and celebrate community pride through a day of fun and entertainment for all ages while providing a venue for groups and organizations to inform the community of their services.

surreyfest.com

Tiny Lights Festival June 15th & 16th Ymir, BC

The Tiny Lights Festival is a one-day festival of the arts in Ymir, BC. Visual art, spoken word, theatre, workshops and music will be happening at four historic buildings in Ymir.

tinylightsfestival.com

Car Free Sunday June 16th Comox Valley, BC

So much to do all over the valley without your car... Come celebrate, play, walk, roll, skate, bike or whatever and hear great local music at multiple stages!

imaginecomoxvalley.ca/ car-free-Sunday

Car Free Vancouver Day June 16th Vancouver, BC

Commercial Drive, Kitsilano, Main Street & West End. Help transform your neighbourhoods into a brilliant carnival! Bring your ideas, bring your friends, bring your family and participate in this year’s celebration.

carfreevancouver.org

festivals: may-june Utopia Music Festival June 17th - 18th Edmonton, AB

Unity, diversity, love.

utopiamusicfestival.ca

Sled Island Festival June 19th - 22nd Calgary, AB

Featuring over 250 bands plus comedy, film and art in 30 venues.

sledisland.com

Long Day’s Night Music Festival June 20th - 23rd Swift Current, AB

Celebrate four of the longest days of the year with great music and lots of fun under a big-top tent at Marston Street and 11th Ave.

windscapekitefestival.ca/long-daysnight-music-festival

A three day labour history and labour issues festival featuring film, heritage tours and music. Songs of the Workers Night, Film Night featuring a concert of traditional labour tunes, music at Ginger Goodwin’s graveside. Opportunities to listen or participate!

June 21st & 22nd Mayne Island, BC

theworks.ab.ca

campbellbaymusicfest.com

The largest FREE art & design festival in North America. Kicking off Edmonton’s summer festival season with 150,000+ visitors to Sir Winston Churchill Square each year, The Works is an exciting and stimulating communion of original arts and creativity.

Adäka Cultural Festival Offers a vibrant program filling incredible 8 days of traditional and contemporary music, dance, drumming, art & craft, storytelling, film, cultural presentations, workshops, artist demonstrations, a community feast and much more.

adakafestival.ca

The Conscious Culture Festival brings together music, art & education that promotes equality, sustainability, justice, healthy living, organic farming and an all around conscious lifestyle in a one of a kind music festival featuring reggae, rock, folk, electronic, world music & beyond.

HOLLERADO HEY OCEAN! A TRIBE CALLED RED

SWEATSHOP UNION

Z Z A JESTIVAL

Seldovia Summer Solstice Music Festival June 20th - 23rd Seldovia, AK seldoviamusicfestival.wordpress.com

zz.comH a j t s a o ww.c H U G R

Summer Solstice Festival d’été

JUNE

RASA A R U B TAM RE O

Evening @ GPAG (Gibsons Public Art Gallery)

JAZZ WEEK

SE F R AI N T E T QU

F ON O L E G I LY I N G T H E FN K E Y S MO

June 20th & 21st Gravelbourg, SK

summersolsticefestivaldete.com

June 21st - 23rd Tonasket, WA

consciousculturefestival.com

S N O S GIB NDING LA

cumberlandmuseum.ca

Celebrate the spirit of our Southern Saskatchewan landscape through art, music, dance, literature and drama providing a living, interactive diary of culture - things of the spirit - to local, provincial and regional audiences.

The Campbell Bay Music Fest begins at 5pm on Friday night and runs until 11pm, continues Saturday morning with a 4-band show on the bandstand at the Mayne Island Farmers Market, and moves back to mainstage on the farm Saturday afternoon until 11pm.

Conscious Culture Festival

June 21st - 27th Whitehorse, YK

JUN, 20E13

June 20th - 22nd Cumberland, BC

Campbell Bay Music Festival

June 20th - July 2nd Edmonton, AB

14-16

Miners Memorial Weekend

The Works Art and Design Festival

NEW STREET FESTIVAL in the ‘Landing’

3 Days | 65 Acts Unforgettable Views

AND M

Jazz Brunch, Free Outdoor Fest, Jazz Vespers

JUNE 8-13 in local restaurants

Tall Tree Music Festival Port Renfrew, B.C. June 28th, 29th, 30th www.talltreemusicfestival.com

Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013 29

festivals: may-june Edmonton International Jazz Festival June 21st - 30th Edmonton, AB

The Edmonton Jazz Festival Society instills in audiences the appreciation of jazz music as a diverse art form, connecting regional audiences with provincial, national and international jazz artists. The Edmonton Jazz Festival Society is dedicated to providing a professional and supportive environment for jazz artists to perform, collaborate, and celebrate with the people of Edmonton, jazz music from across the globe.

edmontonjazz.com

Freezer Burn June 21st - 23rd near Ponoka, AB

Freezer Burn is the annual Burning Man event for the Alberta region. We create a temporary community out on the prairie to strengthen our ties with old friends, and to forge friendships with newcomers to the Burning Man experience.

freezerburn.org

Make Music Vancouver Fête de la Musique June 21st Vancouver, BC

2 areas (Gastown+Yaletown) 1,200 musicians, 300 bands, 70 music spots, 35,000 people. It is entirely free, entirely fun. Just

30 Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013

show up between 4:30 and 1am, and enjoy the show. Make Music Event is celebrated every year in more than 460 cities in over 100 countries around the world.

makemusicvancouver.com

Music in the Park June - Sept Victoria, BC

Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays & Holidays, first show June 21st. Located in the Cameron Bandshell in Beacon Hill Park. Whether you like jazz and blues, or classical or swing, there’s something for everyone.

victoria.ca

festivals: may-june North Country Fair June 21st & 23rd Near Driftpile, AB

A fantastic celebration of the summer solstice, camping, friendship and music.

lslncca.ca/current

Pacific Rim Summer Festival June 21st - July 1st Tofino/Ucluelet, BC

The Pacific Rim Arts Society presents the Annual Pacific Rim Summer Festival with events taking place in Ucluelet, the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, and Tofino. Art shows, live entertainment, events, and workshops.

pacificrimarts.ca

Rio Tinto Alcan Dragon Boat Festival June 21st - 23rd Vancouver, BC

This annual festival is a FREE event featuring the colourful Eye Dotting Ceremony on Friday and two more days of non-stop entertainment on the World Beat Stage, fabulous food and shopping, and of course, dragon boat racing of the highest calibre.

dragonboatbc.ca

SASKTEL Saskatchewan Jazz Festival June 21st - July 1st Saskatoon, SK

in the middle of summer, this jazz festival boasts a following like no other. With eclectic choices for performers from small to mainstage, this is one of the staple events of a summer in Saskatoon.

saskjazz.com

Sunstroke Music Festival June 21st & 22nd Whitehorse, YK

Sunstroke Music Festival is the premiere summer music festival in downtown Whitehorse. The smaller stage features acoustic artists, fun performances, kids-friendly entertainment, and workshops.

whitehorsefestivals.com

Taking place in the heart of the Bridge City

Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013â&#x20AC;&#x192;â&#x20AC;&#x192; 31

festivals: may-june TD Victoria International JazzFest June 21st - 30th Victoria, BC

Over 90 performances on 11 stages in downtown Victoria. A full schedule and ticket info available on the web site. Jazzfest will offer workshops and clinics during the week. Check out the fantastic food village and Big Rock Beer Garden at Centennial Square.

jazzvictoria.ca/jazz-fest

TD Vancouver International Jazz Festival June 21st - July 1st Vancouver, BC

British Columbia’s biggest music presentation brings the world’s best bands to Vancouver while drawing over half a million people to 35 indoor and outdoor stages. The internationally acclaimed event features over 1,800 artists.

coastaljazz.ca

Bushwacked Music & Arts Festival June 22nd Beaverdell, BC

Awesome musicians, fire performers, vendors, live artists and food. As each tier sells out we will be adding new elements to the festival. The more tiers that sell out before our deadline of June 1st, the bigger the party will be! This event is strictly 19+

“Bushwacked 2013” on facebook

FBMS Summer Bluegrass Pick-nic and Fair June 22nd Calgary, AB

All day bands, all day jams, artisan tables, BBQ dinner.

foothillsbluegrass.com/events

Performance in the Park June 22nd Banff, AB

Celebrate mountain and cultural heritage and the importance of protected places while having some rollicking fun in a great location, with friends, family, and great tunes. Bring your dancing shoes!

banfflakelouise.com/Area-Events

Round the Mountain June 22nd Kimberley, BC

Kid’s races, live music, food and drinks will provide fun and entertainment for everyone. Participate in Kimberley’s Round the Mountain Race (RTM) on the new RTM trail.

roundthemountain.ca

SaskPower Windscape Kite Festival June 22nd & 23rd Swift Current, AB

DJ at Bushwacked Music and Art Festival., June 22nd near Beaverdell, BC. photo: Envasion.

This world-class event attracts kite flyers, enthusiasts and fun loving people from across the globe to one prairie field to enjoy an exciting weekend of kiting and family fun. This free admission festival features fabulous art kites, giant creature kites, speeding kite buggies, screaming stunt kites, and battling fighter kites. Kids of all ages will enjoy balloon sculpting, the bubble station, mystery sandpile, juggling tent, face-painting, straw bale maze, and ongoing kite workshops.

windscapekitefestival.ca

32 Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013

Children’s Festival Pirates Faire June 23rd Mission, BC

One of the highlights of the Mission Arts Council year and a great kick-off to summer, this day is fun filled for children and the young-art-heart. Music, dance, juggling, games, numerous art workstations, pony rides, bouncy balloon and more guarantee smiles and laughter all around.

missionartscouncil.ca

Midnight Sun Festival June 23rd Fairbanks, AK

Alaska’s largest single day event plays host to over 30,000 fans who take 33 live musical performances on three stages, over 180 booths of arts, crafts, merchandise, information, food, and fun! Skateboarding, face painting, extreme car racing, paddler’s river slalom race, break dancing, pony rides, vintage motors, BBQ cook-off, gold panning, break dancing, celestial shopping, and fabulous food.

downtownfairbanks.com/events/midnight-sun-festival

RiverFest June 23rd Nuns Creek Park, Campbell River, BC

River fest is a family festival situated next to the Campbell River on the beautiful grounds of the Haig-Brown House in Campbell River, BC. RiverFest aims to provide a great day of family entertainment and music in support of the Campbell River and North Island Transition Society.

riverfest2012.blogspot.ca

Saint Jean Baptiste Celebrations June 24th Whitehorse, YK

In celebration of Saint Jean Baptiste the French Association of Yukon brings together the finest in local and out-of-town acts, spanning all genres for this one day party.

afy.yk.ca/secteurs/main/fr/index. php?site=culturel

festivals: may-june Unity Music Festival

Lighthouse Bluegrass Music Festival

July 26th-28th Slocan City, BC

This family friendly festy located right on shores of Slocan Lake in the West Kootenays. Great music and local culture and amazing views this is one not to be missed.

unitymusicfestival.ca

June 27th - 30th Qualicum Bay, BC

Premiere pickin’ festival. Excellent facility, 5 minutes to the ocean, first class music & camping on grounds.

lighthousebluegrass.com

Bud Country Fever

Boonstock Music & Arts Festival June 27th - 30th Gibbons, AB

Boonstock is one of Alberta’s premiere outdoor Metal/Rock Music Festivals! Located just outside the town of Gibbons, 20 minutes NE of Edmonton. It’s a 4 day music festival, and camping is available on-site for the whole weekend.

boonstock.ca

June 28th - 30th Grande Prairie, AB

Bringing the best in country music to Grande Prairie. Evergreen Park has been the home of Bud Country Fever since its beginning and has continued to grow along with festival.

budcountryfever.com

June 27th - 30th Dauphin, MB

Canada’s longest running four day country music festival is held annually every July long weekend, and features the best in local, national and international entertainment on three separate stages. Nestled on the north side of Riding Mountain National Park, the festival site is 10 km south of the City of Dauphin, Manitoba, and is home to the most beautiful outdoor amphitheatre in Western Canada.

countryfest.ca

June 28th - July 1st Kananaskis, AB

FozzyFest is an annual three day music festival held in Kananaskis Country just south of Calgary, Alberta. FozzyFest features both local and internationally acclaimed DJs, musicians and artists. You will also find enlightening workshops and several merchandise, accessory, body art and food vendors. Lineup to be announced in May will feature deep house, tech house, electo, funk, trance, hip hop, dubstep, progressive, ambient….

fozzyfest.com

Funtastic Festival June 28th - July 1st Vernon, Armstrong & Enderby, BC

Tall Tree Music Festival June 28th - 30th Port Renfrew, BC

Dauphin’s Countryfest

FozzyFest

Tall Tree Music Festival is an open-air festival held each June outside Port Renfrew, B.C. The 3-day event offers live & electronic talent, amazing camping, and stellar views.

talltreemusicfestival.com

Canada’s greatest slo-pitch tournament & music festival. Sports and music, including a superskills competition and a lawn bowling tournament. Must be 19 years of age or older to enter the music festival.

funtasticsports.ca

Market Fest June 28th, July 26th & Aug 23rd Nelson, BC

Lille Gard Festival June 28th - 30th Kelowna, BC

Lille Gard (Danish for “Little Farm”) is a festival organized by Tribe House Artist Collective, which will feature visual arts, short film, activist speakers, poetry and of course all the music your ears can handle with a theme of Arts, Faith, and Justice.

Three times a year Baker Street turns into a huge street party. Bands on two stages playing music for all ages, dance performances throughout the evening, kids’ entertainment and 100 vendors with hand-made, home-grown or prepared goods and food. See and hear all the best that the Kootenay’s have to offer!

ecosociety.ca/markets/market-fest

lillegard.tribehouse.org

Revelstoke Arts Council Presents

summer street music festival

June 28 High School

Jazz Band June 29 Tanya Lipscomb June 30 Maritime Kitchen Party July 1 The Cliff Jumpers July 2 Willhorse

July 3 July 4 July 5 July 6 July 7 July 8 July 9

Toby Beard Cornstarr Coal Creek Toby Beard Sharon Shook Charlie Burton Matt Potter & the Plants

July 10 July 11 July 12 July 13 July 14 July 15 July 16 July 17

Devon Coyote F-Holes Mike Alviano Mike Alviano Picture the Ocean Picture the Ocean Jesse Jungalwella Uncorked

July 18 July 19 July 20 July 21 July 22 July 23 July 24 July 25

Uncorked Relative Jazz Shannon Lyon Dead Stringers Steve Palmer The Sturgeons That Girl and Earl That Girl and Earl

July 26 July 27 July 28 July 29 July 30 July 31

Rippin Rattlers Joanne Stacey & 49 Parallels Chris Grieve Blackberry Wood Sean Ashby Smokekiller

Concerts run June 28 through September 1, 6:30-9:30. For full lineup visit www.revelstokeartscouncil.com

Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013 33

festivals: may-June & festivals R.I.P. Revelstoke Street Fest June-Aug Revelstoke, BC

Nationally recognized as the jewel in Revelstoke’s cultural crown, the Revelstoke Arts Council proudly presents the Summer Street Festival every year. Each evening from approximately the end of June through to the end of August, the Revelstoke Arts Council provides free live music in Grizzly Plaza. With a diverse range of unique artists, the Summer Street Festival is fun for the whole family.

revelstokeartscouncil.com/events/ revelstoke-spirit-festival

The 39 Days of July Duncan Summer Festival June 28th - Aug 5th Duncan, BC

Brought to you by the Duncan Cowichan Festival Society, ’free to the public’ live music in the park daily from noon till 8pm with special events in City Square on Wednesdays and with 5 Event Sundays and a Canada Day Beach Volleython competition…Duncan is ‘a rather fun place to be.’

cowichanfestival.com

Magnificent River Rats Festival June 29th - July 1st Athabasca, AB

Bringing Athabasca and surrounding communities together to enjoy music, local artisans, and many other family oriented activities. See web site for confirmed artists in May.

riverratsfestival.com

Summer Concerts at Simms Park End of June - Labour Day Courtenay, BC

We learned late in production of the Ultimate Summer Festival Guide that the Jasper Folk Festival is being resurrected after six long years of dormancy. We think this is propitious for other festivals that are taking some time off to regroup and re-evaluate. The volunteer hours that go into producing a festival — and these are yearround for many if not most artistic directors, producers, marketers, boards — are staggering. That so many new festivals get off the ground is a small miracle of perseverance and often luck. But those long hours sometimes lead to tears. The festival may not bring as big an audience as hoped or planned for. Grants fall through at the last minute. Weather happens. Festivals slated to return in 2014 include: One Big Tree (Cherryville, BC); Wild Oats and Notes (Tofield, AB); Entheos Gathering (near Vancouver, BC); International Choral Kathaumixw (Powell River, BC); Victoria International Organ Festival (Victoria, BC); Rotary International Children’s Festival (Penticton, BC). There are some festivals that are either in suspension mode, are regrouping for this year in a quiet way, or are cancelled for the foreseeable (or unforeseeable) future, and these include: MusicFest Vancouver (Vancouver, BC); Sturgis North (near Kamloops, BC); Commotion by the Ocean (Gambier Island, BC); Back to Blues (Chilliwack, BC); Blueberry Fields Music and Creativity Festival (Qualicum Beach, BC); Chilliwack Bluegrass Festival

Simms Park Summer Concert Series begins June 30th and runs through to September 1st in Courtenay. Enjoy free concerts on Sunday evenings starting at 7:00pm with local musicians performing at the pavilion. Summer highlights include a jazz concert, big band, fiddle jam, and more.

courtenay.ca/simmsconcerts

34 Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013

(Chilliwack, BC); Falkland Bluegrass and Country Jamboree (Falkland, BC); FolkWest (Victoria, BC); Komasket Music Festival (Vernon, BC); Kootenay Festival of the Arts (Trail, BC); Loki Music Festival (Kaslo, BC); Olio Festival (Vancouver, BC); Powell River Blues Festival (Powell River, BC); Rhythm on the Rock (Courtenay, BC); Rock the Peach (Penticton, BC); The Kulth (Coombs, BC); The Big TIme Out (Cumberland).

Above: a stilt-walker at Diversity 2012. After celebrating 10 years, Diversity is taking a break until 2014. photo Diversity. Below: hat people at The Big Time Out. photo Bobby Herron

festivals: july CYMC International Summer Youth Music School and Festival July 1st - 30th Comox, BC

This acclaimed summer school and festival features Jazz, Classical, Strings, Piano, and Musical Theatre programs and performances (both student and faculty) through the month of July.

cymc.ca

Mountain Mosaic Festival of the Arts July 1st Invermere, BC

Mountain Mosaic Festival of the Arts on July 1st Canada Day Celebration is Free Festival for the whole family at Kinsmen Beach, following the Canada Day Parade. Enjoy the Home Hardware Festival Stage featuring live entertainment. Art Tents, build a boat and float with Cops for Kids, Clowns, Bounce Castles and more. Participate in the Transformation Station with tattoos, face painting and hair dooz. A variety of Food kiosks.

columbiavalleyarts.com/CVARTS/ pynelogs-cultural-centre-art-gallery

Victoria Conservatory of Music Summer Series

young rising stars, VCM faculty and international musicians from the VCM Summer Academy Programs.

vcm.bc.ca

Victoria Pride Festival July 1st - 7th Victoria, BC

Parade & Festival July 7th. (Government/ Pandora) and the Pride Festival is held at MacDonald Park featuring live bands, drag performances, vendors, food fair, community groups, children’s entertainment and a beer garden. More events are held throughout the week, including drag baseball, a dog walk, whale watching, boat cruise and a youth dance.

victoriapridesociety.org

Music in the Park-Kamloops July 2nd - Aug 31st Every Night 7-8:30pm Kamloops, BC

Free musical entertainment by local, national and international musicians every evening during July & August in the Rotary Bandshell at Riverside Park, 7-8:30pm. Bring a picnic and lawn games.

tourismkamloops.com/homeshowSection_ID_534

July & Aug Victoria, BC

A summer concert series with more than 20 performances featuring dozens of

Music and More Concert Series July & Aug Wednesdays Noon & 7pm Chilliwack, BC

The “Music and More” program in Chilliwack is a two part activity that takes place at Salish Park in downtown Chilliwack organized by the Association of Community Presenters. Every Wednesday noon a one hour activity is created that would interest and engage children. Every Wednesday evening during the months of July and August a one hour concert takes place at the same location.

chilliwackartscouncil.com

Music in the Park-Brentwood Bay July & Aug Wednesday Eves 6:30-8:30pm Brentwood Bay, BC

Each summer in July and August, we host outdoor concerts on Wednesday nights from 6:30 to 8:30 in Pioneer Park. Bring a chair, a blanket, a picnic dinner, or buy dinner from one of our food vendors. Come early - the park fills fast!

mypeninsula.ca

Music in the Park-Nakusp July & Aug Wednesdays 6:30-8pm Nakusp, BC

Free music for the whole family every Everyone welcome. Bring a lawn chair.

nakusparrowlakes.com

what’s on may may tinhorn concert concert -- brickhouse brickhouse tinhorn june june tinhorn concert concert -- treehouse treehouse tinhorn july july annual cherry cherry fiesta fiesta annual largest fireworks fireworks in in western western canada canada largest tinhorn concert the matinee tinhorn concert - the matinee For the the latest latest up up toto date date events events For visit osoyoostimes.com/visitors-guide visit osoyoostimes.com/visitors-guide

May OK Spring win e festiv al Half - Cork ed marat ho n Pig out @ covert Fa rms IATH ALON R T N A JUNE M ALF IRON OLIVER H TRIATHALO N H ALO N OR I T N I A U R J T I N L O CA PIT AL OF A C E I N W

oliverchronicle.com oliverchronicle.com

Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013 35

festivals: july Parks Alive! July & Aug Kelowna, BC

Parks Alive! present live concerts and other art based activities throughout July & August in many of Kelowna’s most unique outdoor venues from North Glenmore, to Rutland, East Kelowna, downtown, and the Mission. It is family-friendly entertainment featuring local performers and worldclass professionals from a variety of musical genres and styles.

festivalskelowna.com

Astral Harvest Music & Arts Festival July 4th - 7th Driftpile, AB

4 Stages, 3 Nights, DJS, Live Music, Workshops, Performances, Conferences, Live Art. Be immersed in local and international talent at multiple stages. Astral Harvest’s family-friendly atmosphere is part of the magic, with a playground and child-centered activities aimed at keeping little harvesters entertained and engaged.

astralharvest.com

Civic Sounds July & Aug Thursday Nights 7-9pm Vernon, BC

Free summer concerts in the Civic Plaza (between the library & museum) every Thursday night featuring local bands. Bring your chair or blanket and enjoy great music, 7-9 pm.

downtownvernon.com

Filberg Park Summer Concert Series July & Aug 5 Thurs Eves 7-9pm Comox, BC

A series of five Thursday evening concerts in beautiful Filberg Park. Bring a picnic or make a reservation at the Filberg Tea House for an early dinner.

filberg.com/whats-on

Performances in the ParkWilliams Lake July 4th - Aug 22nd Thursdays 6pm Williams Lake, BC

On summer evenings Boitanio Park comes alive with music, every Thursday from early July 4th and running through to late August. The Performances in the Park Committee is busy putting together an exciting and diverse line-up of entertainers,

this season. Genres include folk, country, pop, celtic, jazz and aboriginal.

williamslake.ca/index.asp?p=1945

PLUR Inc. The Grove Music Festival July 4th - 7th Midway, BC

Going on five years and running strong The Groove is back and the line up is stacked. Nestled in the mountains of beautiful Midway BC we bring you some of the hottest DJs and hip hop artists around. 4 day, outdoor electronic, bass event.

plurinc.ca

All Folk’d Up in Montmartre July 5th - 7th Montmartre, SK

With three days of music on two stages, All Folked Up In Montmartre is a community volunteer run music festival held in Kemoca Park in “Paris of the Prairies.”

allfolkedup.ca

Calgary Stampede July 5th - 14th Calgary, AB

The Calgary Stampede is a not-for-profit community organization that preserves and promotes western heritage and values. The Stampede contributes to the quality of life by promoting volunteerism, presenting a year-round slate of events, investing in youth and agricultural programs, and developing a unique western experience for the world to enjoy.

calgarystampede.com

Carlton Trail Jamboree July 5th - 7th Rabbitt Lake, SK

Featuring an all-Canadian line-up helps us celebrate the excellent talent we have right here in our own country. What you will experience is Canada’s finest country music entertainers - as well as new talent beginning to rise to the top of the music scene.

carltontrailjamboree.com “The Boys from McLeese Lake” Lorne Dufour (middle) poet, storyteller, horse logger, with Tom and John "a couple of great folk musicians" at Hootstock near Forest Grove, BC. Hootstock 2013 runs July 26-28. photo Hootstock.

36 Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013

keloha! By Joanne Layh Kelowna has had its ups and downs with festivals, but Keloha seems set to stay around for a while. Organized by the same people who brought the Center of Gravity Beach Festival to Kelowna, Keloha has a similar sort of feel, except the focus is on music instead of sport. The vibe is what you might expect from a festival set in Kelowna at the peak of summer – think bikinis and surf inspired clothing and you get the idea. If you decide to check it out, pack sunscreen and some flip flops. The bar and one of the stage areas are located on the beach so there will be sand. Last year’s performers included The Sheepdogs, Tokyo Police Club, Graffiti6 and Said the Whale — pretty impressive for a first-time fest. This year’s line up includes MGMT, Arkells, The Trews, Yukon Blonde, The Boom Booms, The Zolas, and a host of others. Keloha is one of the easiest festivals to get to, since its located in Waterfront Park in downtown Kelowna, with public transportation and a variety of places to stay nearby. Keloha takes place from July 5 - 7 at Waterfront Park in Kelowna.

Spectacular setting for an Okanagan summer festival at Waterfront Park in Kelowna. photo Keloha.

Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013 37

festivals: july Edmonton International Street Performers Festival July 5th - 14th Edmonton, AB

First in North America when founded in 1984 and featuring every conceivable act from magician to mime, catapult to cabbage catcher, living statue to fire eater.

edmontonstreetfest.com

Gospel Mountain Music Festival July 5th - 7th New Hazelton, BC

The Gospel Mountain Music Festival is a gathering of Christian Musicians, music lovers, and youth groups to share their faith with songs. It’s a time to relax and reflect with old and new friends!

angelfire.com/bc/gospelmusicfest

Jambase Live Festival July 5th & 6th Gorge Amphitheatre, WA

A new festival from the producers of Sasquatch Festival!

jambase.com/live

Whistler Longboard Festival July 5th - 7th Whistler, BC whistlerlongboard.com

Lunch Box Stage July & Aug Fridays 12:30-1:30pm Salmon Arm, BC

Summertime Community Music Stage in the heart of Salmon Arm’s beautiful downtown.

facebook.com/pages/Lunch-BoxStage-Downtown-Salmon-Arm

Smithers Midsummer Music Festival July 5th - 7th Smithers, BC

The Midsummer Music Festival is a family oriented entertaining time featuring a diverse mix of musicians and musical styles. The festival features four daytime stages, headline performers, dozens of local and regional performers and is entirely volunteer powered. We offer exciting

and entertaining opportunities for children, with crafts and organized activities plus their own stage.

smithersmusicfest.com

Cates Park Concert Series July & Aug Saturdays 4-7pm Deep Cove, BC

The Cates Park Concert Series is a FREE, outdoor concert series that occurs on Saturdays in July and August from 4pm to 7pm on the waterfront stage in front of the food consession in Cates Park. This series provides the opportunity for exposure for original bands and artists to the local community.

musart.ca

Music at the Cannery July & Aug Friday Nights 6:30pm Richmond, BC

Join us at the Gulf of Georgia Cannery every Friday night for our summer music series. A wide range of musical tastes will be represented. Performers take to our outdoor stage at 6:30pm.

beatmerchant.com

Music in the Landing July & Aug Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays Gibsons Landing, BC

Music in the Landing is a wonderful community event featuring Free concerts in the park.

facebook.com/Music.Landing

Jammin’ in Jubilee Concerts in the Park July & Aug Thursday evenings Abbotsford, BC

Musical entertainment along with the opportunity to browse booths showcasing unique handmade wares from local artisans.

jaminjubilee.com

Fantastic stage for a DJ at Motion Notion. This year’s festival runs July 25-29 in Golden, BC. photo contributed

38 Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013

July 19-21, 2013 P F RovIDENCE ARm DUNCAN, vANCoUvER IsLAND

= onsite camping = beautiful island venue = family friendly EARLY BIRD TICKET DEADLINE: JUNE 15

FEATURING

Shawn Phillips Connie Kaldor The Wooden Sky Jim Byrnes Blues Band Harlan Pepper Wendell Ferguson Ruth Moody David Newberry Brock Zeman ...and many more!

www.islandsfolkfestival.ca

festivals: july EPIC: Sustainable Living Festival July 6th & 7th Vancouver, BC

Held at the VanDusen Botanical Garden in Vancouver this two days of outdoor entertainment featuring BC-based musicians, sustainable and local food and drinks, and business and thought leaders.

epicfest.ca

Harrison Festival of the Arts July 6th - 14th Harrison Hot Springs, BC

For 35 years the Harrison Festival of the Arts has presented the best in performing and visual art from around the world set against the magnificent mountains and the sandy beaches of Harrison Lake. An event the whole family can enjoy featuring music (an outdoor and indoor stage), a large outdoor art and craft market, workshops, a special day for children (of all ages) and much more.

harrisonfestival.com

Mortlach Saskatoon Berry Festival July 6th Mortlach, SK

Community event for everyone!

mortlach.ca/saskatoonberry_festival. html

Open Air Performances July 6th - Aug 31st Saturdays 6pm Lake Country, BC

Performances take place at different parks throughout Lake Country each Saturday until the end of August.

openairperformances.com

Steamboat Mountain Music Festival July 6th Edgewater, BC

The Steamboat Mountain Music Festival is an all-genre music festival in a picturesque locale in the popular Windermere Valley. The festival raises money for musical education in the Windermere Valley. Situated in the scenic town of Edgewater, BC, the festival stage will be located in the Edgewater Elementary School grounds, with a spectacular view of the Columbia River Wetlands and Steamboat Mountain.

steamboatmtnmusicfest.ca

Adstock Alternative Music Festival July 7th Maple Ridge, BC

Adstock is a FREE, outdoor, alternative music festival in the heart of Maple Ridge at the Bandstand in Memorial Peace Park. The show highlights youth bands and acoustic acts and will also host some of the best bands in punk, metal, ska and hardcore that Vancouver has to offer.

facebook.com/AdstockMapleRidge

Summer Sounds July 7th - Aug 25th Sundays 2-4pm Sidney, BC

New music every Sunday from 2pm to 4pm at the Beacon Pavilion (Sidney’s Beacon Park Outdoor Opera House!)

summersounds.ca

Summer Sundays Concert SeriesPort Moody July & Aug Sundays 2-4pm Port Moody, BC

FREE concerts every Sunday from 2:00 till 4:00PM with the best R&B, soul, funk and blues bands in the lower mainland. Rocky Point Park, 2800, Murray Street.

summersundays.ca

Sunshine Cabaret July & Aug Friday & Saturday Nights Penticton, BC

Sunshine Cabaret is returning to Downtown Penticton for another summer of live music featuring a wide variety of fantastic performers. From rock ‘n Roll to jazz, country blues, swing, etc there is something for everyone. in Gyro Park from 7-9pm.

downtownpenticton.org

Girls Rock Camp July 8th - 13th Vancouver, BC

Girls Rock Camp Vancouver is a project for female youth aged 8-18 years. They give young women the opportunity to explore, access, and play music with positive mentors. As society continues to push unattainable body image values, we want to reassure the leaders of tomorrow that there is more to being included in the mu-

40 Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013

sic industry than a microphone and size 0 waistline. At Girls Rock Camp Vancouver they teach young women to pick up their instruments and make noise.

girlsrockcampvancouver.ca

Music on the Wharf-Maple Ridge July & Aug 2nd & 4th Mondays 7pm & 7:30pm Maple Ridge, BC

Beside the Fraser River for a summer music series at Port Haney Wharf. The performers from all styles, including jazz, blues, bluegrass, brass band, rock and western. This is a great way to get to know the rich music scene in Maple Ridge.

mapleridgemuseum.org/02_ events/02_01_03_music_wharf.html

Victoria Ska Festival July 8th - 13th Victoria, BC

Victoria’s Annual Ska Fest brings fans the best ska, reggae, dancehall, dub, rock, jazz and Latin music from across the world. It’s the largest and longest running festival of its kind in North America!

victoriaskafest.ca

Nanaimo Summer Concert Series July 10th - Aug 28th Wednesdays 6-7:30pm Nanaimo, BC

Bowen Park Amphitheatre in July. Maffeo Sutton Park in August.

harbourliving.ca

Children’s Concerts in the Park July & Aug Wednesdays 11 am-noon Victoria, BC

Join us at the Cameron Bandshell in Beacon Hill Park for fun and interactive hour of music and entertainment. Bring a picnic, sunscreen and a blanket and make a day of it with the kids.

victoria.ca

Believe Freedom Festival July 11th - 15th Whistler, BC

Believe is a premier electronic, world music and cultural festival at the Whistler Olympic Park.

believefreedomfestival.com

Oscar

James LopezKeelaghan

Del Barber Speed Will Hey Ocean

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Ramblinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Stroet The Ambassadors

www.smithersmusicfest.com Smithers BC 30 years of music in the bulkley valley! pssst...LIKE us for a chance to WIN tickets

festivals: july Burn in the Forest July 11th - 14th Squamish, BC

Greater Vancouver Interactive Arts Society is pleased to announce that we have added a day to the event this year! BitF is the Greater Vancouver Interactive Arts Society’s (GVIAS) annual summer event that takes place in the beautiful surroundings of the Squamish Valley. This is a regional Burning Man event for BC. Our community is built on the participation of its members and from the simple exchange of food, stories, or a lending hand, to the elaborate construction of an interactive art project.

burnintheforest.com

Craven Country Jamboree July 11th - 14th Craven, SK

The "World’s Greatest Country Music Festival" is the longest running multi-day music festival in Canada. It has been on the same site for 30 years - in the middle of the beautiful Qu’Appelle Valley. Our endless blue skies and rolling green hills are a treat for the eyes, but that’s just the beginning of this extraordinary experience.

cravencountryjamboree.com

Lightning in a Bottle July 11th - 15th Temecula, CA

Celebrating Art, Music, Performance, Sustainability and Life. The history of LIB spans more than a decade, and friends, family, and co-horts of The Do LaB are thrilled and astounded that its been more than ten years of making miracles and catching Lightning in a Bottle!

lightninginabottle.org

Arts on the Fly July 12th & 13th Horsefly, BC

Over the past years we have introduced artists from around the world to our small community, growing to a two day festival with multiple venues, workshops, kids areas and more. Our festival keeps growing every year, and is a highlight of the summer for our area.

artsonthefly.com

Atlin Arts & Music Festival July 12th - 14th Atlin, BC

A family-friendly festival including an exciting collection of accomplished and emerging musicians and visual artists, art and music workshops and kids’ activities. FREE camping with ticket purchase.

atlinfestival.ca

Bluegrass Jamboree at Pass Creek July 12th - 14th Castlegar, BC

Held at Pass Creek Exhibition Grounds and features open mic sessions, pancake breakfast Saturday, band scramble, and bluegrass gospel Sunday. Dry camping available. Child up to 6 FREE.

passcreekfair.com/ bluegrass-jamboree-2013

Luminosity Project: A Pacific Northwest Visionary Media Gathering

off and is set-aside for many of the community’s organizations, clubs and volunteer groups to set up on the main street and promote themselves and their goals. Interspersed among these booths are attractions for kids and the whole family.

peacefest.com

Pembina River Nights July 12th & 13th Rangeton Park, AB

Small intimate festival, family friendly, CKUA listeners, good crowd, by the river, camping. Canadian and International musicians, all styles!

asmallshieldmusic.ca

Squamish Nation Annual Youth Pow Wow July 12th - 14th North Vancouver, BC

Includes outdoor contest pow wow, aboriginal arts and crafts, traditional Salmon

July 12th - 14th Southern Vancouver Island, BC

By night cutting edge electronic music, interactive visual environments, performance arts, and chill lounge. By day a cool river to dunk your head in, workshops/presentations, and live bands. Complete with visionary art, grassroots art installations, market, and much more. Get ready to immerse yourself in the beginning year of a Pacific Northwest Visionary Media Gathering.

facebook.com/pages/ Luminosity-Project

Oliver Sunshine Festival July 12th & 13th Oliver, BC

Come enjoy 2 days of free family-friendly fun in beautiful Oliver, BC. Friday night and Saturday live stage music and dance entertainment, activity tents, artisans and vendors, world food fair, West Coast Amusements and more! Annual parade down Main Street Saturday morning.

oliverrecreation.ca

Peace Festival July 12th & 13th Peace River, AB

Concerts Friday and Saturday night. The Saturday Main Street of town is blocked

Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013 45

festivals: july BBQ at the Capilano Reserve Park, 100 Capilano Road. Admission is $5. Family event that is open to the public. Everyone welcome. Absolutely NO alcohol or drugs or no one under the influence will be tolerated.

Vancouver Island Music Fest

shopwest4th.com/khatsahlano

July 12th - 14th Courtenay, BC

Held at the Comox Valley Exhibition Grounds the festival has 6 stages, camping and family activities.

islandmusicfest.com

Willow Creek Cowboy Gathering July 12th - 14th Stavely, AB

The weekend will include music, humour, tall tales, vendors offering handmade leather goods, jewellery, pottery, picture frames, silent auction and jam sessions.

wccowboygathering.com

Maple Ridge Caribbean Festival July 13th & 14th Maple Ridge, BC

Food vendors will be offering authentic Caribbean foods. The festival will have a large kid zone featuring rides and street entertainers. This great family event attracted up to 18,000 festival goers last year and has become one of the favourite summer festivals in the Lower Mainland.

caribbeanfest.ca

Whistler Children’s Art Festival

Khatsahlano! Music & Art Festival July 13th Vancouver, BC

who’s who of hot indie acts - plus eclectic pods of distinctive local artisans, street performers and a host of other festivities. Local merchants turn Kitsilano’s legendary West 4th Avenue into a gigantic, 8-block street fair with a wide variety of food options, bustling patios, giveaways and special activities. Stroll down West 4th Avenue from Burrard to MacDonald.

Showcasing more than 30 of Vancouver’s top musical performers - a veritable

July 13th & 14th Whistler, BC

Since 1983, the Whistler Children’s Art Festival has been attracting families to this annual event, filled with entertainment, inspiration and education for children. This

fun-filled weekend features a multitude of hands-on art workshops led by professional artists in fine arts, crafts, theatre, multimedia, dance and music from across B.C. Free activities and entertainment by roving musicians, popular children’s performers and zany characters.

whistler.com/events/childrens_art_ festival

Kumsheen Summer Music Series mid-July through August Lytton, BC

Kumsheen invites you to an evening of music every Saturday from mid-July to the end of August. Shows are from 8:30 pm to 10:30 pm by the poolside gazebo. Various musical styles include country, folk, roots, rock, blues and jazz for the Summer Music Series this season.

kumsheen.com/music

Party at the Pier Family Festival July 14th North Vancouver, BC

The North Shore’s best musical festival is sure to delight and entertain the whole family, with games, buskers and lots of food.

lowerlonsdalebusinessassociation.com

Theatre Under the Stars Openings: July 15th & July 16th Vancouver, BC

Theatre Under the Stars (TUTS) is a not for profit society that entertains families through popular musical theatre shows while providing a vibrant outlet and training ground to develop amateur performers and technicians both young and old. TUTS values an atmosphere of inclusion and mentorship in order to build strong character and to promote positive values.

tuts.catuts.ca

PyneStock Concert July 17th - 18th Invermere, BC

stunning backdrop for the Vancouver Folk Music Festival, taking place July 19-21 at Jericho Beach Park. photo Alyssa Burt

46 Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013

Highly anticipated annual concert that showcases our performing community. This concert is a tradition that has quickly become a favorite venue for both locals and visitors due to its intimate setting and diverse line-up. 7:30-11:00pm at Pynelogs Cultural Centre.

columbiavalleyarts.com

festivals: july Billy Barker Days July 18th - 21st Quesnel, BC

Free famly festival includes music, shooting star midway, rodeo, mud bogs and more.

billybarkerdays.ca

Folk on the Rocks July 18th - 21st Yellowknife, NWT

Folk on the Rocks has a whole bunch of good reasons to head north this summer

folkontherocks.com

Kelowna Summer Theatre Festival July 18th - Aug 11 Kelowna, BC

Don’t miss the Kelowna Summer Theatre Festival’s, two plays this summer at the Rotary Centre for the Arts Outdoor Stage.

kelownasummertheatrefestival.com

Armstrong Metal Fest July 19th & 20th Armstrong, BC

30 metal bands from throughout Western Canada. This is the fifth annual festival and proves to be bigger and better every year. Washrooms, all ages, free camping, free parking, rv parking optional, utilities. Beer garden inside the venue. First headliner outside of Canada.

armstrongmetalfest.ca

Darrington Bluegrass Festival July 19th - 24th Darrington, WA

The Pacific Northwest’s oldest running bluegrass festival. The Darrington Bluegrass Festival started in 1977 and is going strong, drawing over 7,000 people each year.

darringtonbluegrass.com

Dawson City Music Festival July 19th - 21st Dawson City, YK

Dubbed “Canada’s tiny perfect festival” by Vancouver’s Georgia Straight, the Dawson City Music Festival has been a fixture of the Yukon cultural calendar since 1979.

dcmf.com

Islands Folk Festival July 19th - 21st Duncan, BC

Held at beautiful Providence Farm near Duncan, throughout the years the spirit of music and community and thousands of musicians have graced our stages. This festival has become a world class event with a family feel - folk, jazz, blues, country, children’s, bluegrass, roots, americana, canadiana, & world beat.

islandsfolkfestival.ca

compassion, acceptance, and creativity. We wish to expose the beauty in all things and all dreams. Together we create intent from desire, deed from intent, and destiny from deed.

photosynthesisfestival.com

South Country Fair July 19th - 21st near Fort Macleod, AB

South Country Fair is a rural, peace-oriented, camping, music and arts festival.

scfair.ab.ca

JulyFest

Starbelly Jam

July 19th - 21st Kimberley, BC

Enjoy three hot summer days and two hot summer nights during the 39th annual JulyFest that celebrates Kimberley. Events include the Canadian Bocce Tournament, live entertainment, a parade and other competitions.

kimberleyjulyfest.com

July 19th - 21st Crawford Bay, BC

Starbelly Jam is an annual outdoor music festival for the whole family. A soulful, eclectic line-up of talented musicians, great food, a craft faire, free workshops, roaming jugglers and clowns make it the cultural event of the year.

starbellyjam.org

K Days July 19th - 28th Edmonton, AB

K-days is a tribute to our history and a door to the future. Family fun, adventures in wine, food and spirits, and a long list of some of the finest musical acts in Canada.

capitalex.ca

Ness Creek Folk Fest July 19th - 22nd Big River, SK

Ness Creek is reputed as “The best time you can have in one weekend!” Four magical days celebrating music, arts, community and ecology in the breathtaking setting of the Boreal Forest. With over 20 main stage performances.

nesscreek.com

Photosynthesis Six July 19th - 22nd Neah Bay, WA

Our goal is to combine people from all walks in life, and all tastes in music. We seek a sustainable community fueled by intimacy and ingenuity. We hope to provide a platform where everyone can learn, share and grow. We know how strong we are together, and we wish to use that strength to cultivate unconditional love,

Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013 47

festivals: july Street Performers Festival July 19th - 21st Grand Prairie, AB

Bringing jugglers, acrobats, musicians, installation artists, facepainters, and many other assorted entertainers from around the world to Grande Prairie.

gpstreetfest.com

Vancouver Folk Music Festival July 19th - 21st Vancouver, BC

Known around the world for the quality of its programming, friendly ambiance and beautiful park setting, the Vancouver Folk Music Festival offers an exciting, eclectic and diverse music for all ages at Jericho Beach. Add in fabulous food, great shopping, a special area for little folks plus other on-site activities and amenities.

thefestival.bc.ca

Victoria International Buskers Festival July 19th - 28th Victoria, BC

For 10 days the Victoria International Buskers Festival will be the home to one of the world’s most unique street theatre

festivals! Buskers from around the world will converge in Victoria and present ten days of performances on event stages along our Inner Harbour and in Bastion Square. Additional daily lunchtime performances will also be presented at the Bay Centre!

victoriabuskers.com

Wild Mountain Music Festival July 19th - 21st Hinton, AB

Held at the Entrance Ranch, just north of Hinton at the border of Jasper National Park, this wild festival includes a beer tent, kids area, food, arts & craft vendors, & camping. And music!

wildmountainmusicfest.ca

Winthrop Blues Festival July 19th - 21st Winthrop, WA

Located at the Blues Ranch on the Methow River in the resort town of Winthrop, Washington, the Winthrop Rhythm & Blues Festival is a three-day event packed full of exciting national and regional entertainment for all ages.

winthropbluesfestival.com

Ahki Nation - Skwlax Pow Wow July 20th - 22nd Splats First Nations, BC

Bella Coola Music Festival July 20th & 21st Bella Coola, BC

Enjoy exciting live performances from all across Canada amidst the coastal wilderness landscape of Bella Coola, BC. This event boasts an eclectic line-up of music - roots, rock, world, blues, folk and more. With something for everyone, the festival features a children’s site, food and craft vendors and workshops

bellacoolamusic.org

Cortes Island Music Fest July 20th & 21st Cortes Island, BC

This annual 2-day music festival has been a special part of island summers for the past 11 years. The festival showcases over 20 acts featuring some of the Island’s local legends and an eclectic line up of special guests from around BC and beyond. This is a down home event that takes place in the beautiful backyard of local hang out, Trude’s Café.

cortesmusicfest.com

The stage at the Cortes Island Music Fest was hopping in 2011 (left) but a big storm that is a familiar experience to Islanders brought a tree down on the middle of the stage in March 2012. There is a happy ending: the stage was rebuilt in time for the 2012 festival and the Cortes Music Fest is alive and well in 2013. photos LV Nash.

48 Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013

festivals: july Dancin’ Barefoot Festival

Surrey Fusion Festival

July 20th Peachland, BC

July 20th & 21st 11am-10pm Surrey, BC

dancinbarefoot.com

surrey.ca/fusionfestival

Outdoor Rock concert with a teen-talent competition.

Local Colours July 19th & 20th Courtenay, BC

The Local Colours Festival will feature events throughout downtown Courtenay. Local painters, photographers, carvers, potters, weavers, sculptors, dancers, musicians, singers, street performers, and you will get a chance to experience their talents during this two day showcase. It’s fun and free!

comoxvalleyarts.org

Summit Music Festival July 20th Mount Washington Alpine Resort, BC

Do you like spending your summer days outside enjoying a beautiful view? Like feeling as if you’re on top of the world? Enjoy listening to live local music? Why not enjoy all of your favourite things in one amazing day, at one incredible place? This inaugural event hosts some of the best homegrown Island talent. From the production team that brought you Tall Tree Music Festival, featuring several talented bands from all over BC. With genres of indie rock, folk, hip hop, ska and DJ sets, there’s music to be enjoyed by all ages! 1pm-10pm.

mountwashington.ca

The ultimate celebration of food, music & culture.

The Okanagan Rhythm Festival July 20th Penticton, BC

World Class percussion workshops, drum circles and performances! Workshops include: West African, Taiko, Arabic and Cajon drumming, as well as didgeridoo, dance and sound healing. Orchard Street will be closed off for a vendor market with afternoon workshops and evening performances at both the Orchard House Hall and St. Saviour’s Church Hall. All ages are welcome. Instruments are available for use of participants. Limited workshop tickets available.

okanaganrhythmfest.ca

Grindrod Musik and Arts Festival July 21st Grindrod, BC

From 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. the Grindrod Musik and Arts Festival will be held at the Grindrod Recreation Park. At least 10 musical acts on the main stage, an open mic on the side stage, an art wall, where visitors can contribute their creative talent, an art show, kids’ activities, miscellaneous food and goods vendors, a drum circle, and more.

facebook.com/grindrod.musicfest

Kensington Sun & Salsa Festival July 21st Calgary, AB

This annual family event takes place along Kensington Road and 10th Street NW. Six live entertainment stages will spread Latin flavour through the neighbourhood if you want to listen to music and dance. Bring your kids to the Children’s Carnival zone for family orientated entertainment and fun! Check out our amazing art demonstrations or be an artist yourself and help paint a mandala on the street.

visitcalgary.com/things-to-do/ festivals/sun-and-salsa-festival

Vilna Cowboy Fest July 19th - 21st Vilna, AB

You will truly be entertained, educated and elucidated on the subject of cowboy culture. Fabulous fun! Awesome entertainment.

vilnaagsociety.com

Dark Days Live July & Aug Mondays Kelowna, BC

Every Monday During the Kelowna Summer Theatre Festival we light the stage with Live Music. From Jazz, Opera with and Edge, World Music Orchestra and Soul Jazz Funked We have after-the-beach sundown sewn up!

kelownasummertheatrefestival.com

Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013 49

festivals: july Victoria Summer Music Festival July 23rd, 26th, 30th & Aug 1st, 6th & 8th Victoria, BC

Victoria Summer Music festival presents stellar Canadian and international performers at Phillip T. Young Recital Hall, University of Victoria. Performances at 7:30 pm

vsmf.org

Mission Folk Music Festival July 25th & 28th Maple Ridge, BC

Mission has carved out a niche that is unique among Canadian festivals, seeking to find the best, the rarest, the unheard of that should be heard and to nurture local artists while reaching around the globe to bring in the world’s great music. It reaches far beyond the annual roster of touring artists to present music and cultural expressions special to this festiva.

missionfolkmusicfestival.ca

Calgary Folk Music Festival July 25th - 28th Calgary, AB

The Calgary Folk Music Festival embraces a singularly Canadian festival style, earning a glowing reputation for programming that welcomes music from around the corner and the globe, bringing together marquee artists, local favourites, historymakers and innovators to Calgary for a broad-ranging vision of folk with an edge.

calgaryfolkfest.com

Columbia Gorge Bluegrass Festival July 25th - 28th Stevenson, WA

Each year the bands include some of the stalwarts of the NW bluegrass community as well as many players who are fairly new to bluegrass and to their instruments. This is a great chance for musicians to make new friends, play music with others, and get to perform on stage.

columbiagorgebluegrass.net

Motion Notion Music Festival July 25th - 29th Golden, BC

The full spectrum of electronic music on world-class PK sound, three elaborate & unique stages, indy stages, workshops, vendors, security, first aid.

motionnotion.com

Gateway Fest July 26th - 28th Bengough, SK

The Gateway Festival is located in the Bengough Regional Park, in a small farming/ranching community just north of the historic Big Muddy Badlands.

gatewayfestival.ca

Hootstock Festival of Dance and Spoken Word July 26th - 28th Forest Grove, BC (near 100 Mile House)

The lovely grounds of Providence Farm in Duncan, BC, home to the Islands Folk Fest, July 19-21. photo courtesy of Islands Folk Fest.

The 2nd Annual Hootstock Festival has something to interest and engage everyone. Featuring everything from Bluegrass to Dance performances, Storytellers and Poets, Bands and Electronica (EDM) workshops. Eclectic vendors and food. Everyone is welcome at this festival with a

50 Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013

great vibe and setting, including art exhibition inside Historical Schoolhouse on site. Kids are free.

Hootstock.com

Interstellar Rodeo July 26th - 28th Edmonton, AB

Six Shooter Records is proud to present to you with the Interstellar Rodeo, a celebration of music, wine and food. The music programming is an extension of the taste and philosophy of our company. We love music in the Americana genres of folk, country, blues, bluegrass, gospel, and rock and roll, and we are not afraid to venture outside that boundary.

Interstellarrodeo.com

Kettle River Festival of the Arts July 26th - Aug 11th Grandforks, BC

The Kettle River Festival of the Arts presents Dancing At Deadwood Junction, Joybilee Farm Linen Festival, Indulgences, and the Rock Creek Art Walk. Please check website for dates and locations.

kettleriverartsfestival.com

Kispiox Valley Music Festival July 26th - 28th Kispiox, BC

Near Hazelton. Running since 1995 on the bank of the renown Kispiox River, this festival is known across the province and even the country for featuring up and coming new musicians in all genres of music: rock, blues, folk, world, bluegrass, Celtic, something for everyone.

kvmf.ca

Okanagan Tattoo, Art, and Culture Show July 26th - 28th Kelowna, BC

Okanagan Tattoo, Art, and Culture Show is a boutique convention. This inaugural year adds an exciting contemporary twist to Kelowna’s vibrant culture. Be dazzled watching artists work. Enjoy entertainment, music, and a car show.

otacs.ca

festivals: july Renton River Days

Ukee Days

Sand Sensations BC

July 26th - 28th Renton, WA

July 26th - 28th Ucluelet, BC

rentonwa.gov/living/default. aspx?id=1138

ukeedays.wordpress.com

A multi-day family festival and celebration of community pride. Two separate entertainment stages will feature a variety of instrumental, vocal, percussion, and dance considered “family entertainment” in Liberty Park.

Rock Cut Blues July 26th & 27th Kettle Falls, WA

"One weekend in July each year, 'Blues Fans’ return to the Rock Cut Campground to enjoy two days of entertainment provided by award winning musicians in Beautiful Kettle River Country!"

rockcutblues.com

Rock of the Woods July 26th - 28th Bamberton, BC

The Rock of the Woods Music Festival is a celebration of community spirit and youthful creativity. It offers a showcase of musical talent, both celebrated and little known, local and global. The festival has a lasting impact by building sustainable and positive relationships between artists, nature, community, and business. Held at the Glenora Farm in the Cowichan Valley. Kids under 10 free.

rockofthewoods.com

Sasquatch Gathering and Music Festival

Come celebrate Ukee Days with 72 hours of action-packed festivities for the entire family. Our normally sleepy(ish) seaside town explodes in a summery haze of Logger sports, live music, fun, entertainment, beer gardens, contests and much, much more.

Chemainus Bluegrass Festival July 27th & 28th Chemainus, BC

One of the wonderful events presented each year by the Chemainus Valley Cultural Arts Society. Two magical days of bluegrass music on Vancouver Island.

chemainusbluegrass.com

Kootenay Festival

July 27th - Aug 2nd Peace Island Park, Taylor BC

Featuring professional and community sand sculpting, this family, fun-filled week takes place in Taylor BC, the Playground of the Peace, where the famous Alaska Highway meets the mighty Peace River. Six international carvers create huge sand sculptures and give tips to local competitors in the art of sand carving. Peace Island Park has plenty of camping and boating and is the only sand exhibition in BC on the edge of wilderness rife with moose and bear and hiking opportunities for all. Take a “Walk on the Wild Side” with music, food, fun and sand in natural surroundings.

fsjarts.org

Shorefest July 27th Aug 3rd Vancouver, BC

July 27th Castlegar, BC

Featuring live music, dance, performances and cuisine from the diverse cultures represented in the Kootenay region. Adjacent to the Doukhobour Discovery Centre and The Kootenay Gallery of Art.

Kootenayfestival.com

Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows Country Fest

Preceding the fireworks, SHOREfest (presented by SHORE 104) will host free concerts on two music stages in English Bay and Sunset Beach. Visitors to the beach will be able to watch some of the hottest names in Canadian music perform at Sunset Beach and in English Bay on fireworks days.

hondacelebrationoflight.com/ p/shore-fest

July 27th & 28th Maple Ridge, BC

Music, agriculture, food, & fun... in BC farm country. Admission is free.

mrpmcountryfest.com

July 26th - 28th Rangeton Park, AB

A non-profit recreational and artistic event presented by the Sasquatch Community Arts Society, a registered Alberta not-forprofit association.

sasquatchgathering.com

The Great Canadian Barn Dance July 26th - 28th Hillspring, AB

Three days of incredible music on their outdoor stage, in the parking lots, and around the campfire. Work shops, open mic, arts & crafts, games for the kids and a whole bunch of family hospitality.

gcbd.ca/blue-grass-festival

Magical & Memorable Serenity music series

FESTIVAL OF MUSIC DANCE SPOKEN WORD

J U LY 2 6 - 2 7 - 2 8 FOREST GROVE B.C. HOOTSTOCK.COM

by the river in beautiful Birch Island, B.C. Tickets: 250-676-9456 or www.serenitymusic.ca Camping is

FREE g

Meet Amazin

Artists

Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013 51

festivals: july Sooke Fine Arts Show

ming to classical violin, Jam Camp encourages families to use their instruments to jam with other musicians and to create new, original songs. Come join the fun!

July 27th - Aug 5th Sooke, BC

The Sooke Fine Arts Show is the largest, professionally adjudicated art show on Vancouver Island. Featuring more than 375 works of art created by nearly 300 artists from Vancouver Island and the surrounding coastal islands, as well as special events, live music and interactive artist demonstrations. 10am - 6pm with some special evening events.

jamcamp.org

Penticton Elvis Festival The 3-day Festival is an annual event taking place in the picturesque city of Penticton, BC. Features dozens of tribute artists gracing outdoor stages set around Okanagan Lake.

Caribbean Days Festival

pentictonelvisfestival.com

July 28th & 29th North Vancouver, BC

The Victoria Electronic Music Festival is a week-long showcase of cutting edge DJs, producers & live acts in a family-friendly, all-ages event that includes five days of VEMF Interactive seminars, a vendor market, live & performance art, a beer garden, and much more.

July 28th - Aug 16th Vancouver, BC

A superb series of summer evening concerts at the UBC campus plus workshops and lectures.

caribbeandays.ca

JamCamp Kokanee Creek

E’S

IN AZ

M Calgary International Blues Festival

July 28th - Aug 2nd Nelson, BC

Calgary Bluesfest celebrates the best in blues from across Canada and beyond with a full week of events culminating in 4 days & nights of non-stop music on

info@bcmusicianmag.com

Yukon

VAL GUI STI D E FE

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July 29th - Aug 4th Calgary, AB

HERE COMES SUMMER! Next up: the Summer Arts Issue. Special focus this year is: public art; installations; street art; art-focused festivals; and scavenged, found & recycled art.

TE SUMM A M N ER I IA Be part of it! LT

earlymusic.bc.ca

July 31st - Aug 1st Victoria, BC

vemf.org

Vancouver Early Music Programme & Festival

The Trinidad & Tobago Cultural Society of BC presents the Caribbean Days Festival. at North Vancouver’s Waterfront Park for a weekend of parading, dining and dancing in the sunshine.

calgarybluesfest.com

Victoria Electronic Music Festival

July 28th - 30th Penticton, BC

sookefinearts.com

Mainstage and at the nightly Twilight Blues dance parties. The family friendly event features local food vendors, colourful arts market, festival merchandise & more.

a bi lum Co tish Bri

Al b IS Everyone gets toerhunt ta for gold in the Gold Panning Championships, August 2-4 in Taylor, BC. It’s the 41st and novices alike. . experts Sas annual invitational event that welcomes RY re. . o katc A photos Sue Popesku m y S n hewa n Manitoba and ma V E R

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52 Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013

festivals: august Alaska Salsa Festival Aug 1st - 4th Anchorage, AK

The Alaska Salsa Festival features four days of dance, bootcamps and great workshops and absolutely amazing shows.

alaskasalsafestival.com

long weekend. Grab some comfortable clothes. Call your favourite people. Then join concert-goers from around the globe who make the yearly pilgrimage to a 400acre mini village that’s created each year in Camrose, AB.

bigvalleyjamboree.com

Coombs Bluegrass Festival

Big Valley Jamboree

Aug 1st - 4th Coombs, BC

Aug 1st - 4th Camrose, AB

Whether you’re a true blue country music fan, or just like to have fun in a casual, relaxed atmosphere, Big Valley Jamboree is the event for you. Set aside the August

Coombs Bluegrass Festival is the oldest in BC. If you have not yet experienced a bluegrass festival, here is a wonderful opportunity to explore what bluegrass music is, the history, see top quality bluegrass

music and meet the people. Join them for a fun filled weekend of bluegrass & camping at the Coombs Rodeo Grounds.

coombsbluegrass.com

Hornby Festival Aug 1st - 10th Hornby Island, BC

The Hornby Festival is 10 days of festivities in mid-summer including multi-genre mainstage concerts, children’s workshops, also featuring spoken word and visual arts.

hornbyfestival.bc.ca

Three of the stellar performers coming to this year’s Filberg Festival, August 2nd - 5th in Comox, BC. From left to righ: Daniel Lapp, Fred Eaglesmith, Murray McLaughlin. photos courtesy of the Filberg Festival.

Comox Valley ♦ Summer Concert Series Comox Valley ♦ Summer Concert Series

Summer Concert Series be held on the grounds TheThe Summer Concert Series willwill be held on the grounds Filberg Heritage Lodge & Park of The Filberg Heritage Lodge & Park on on thethe of The following Thursdays evenings from 7-9pm: following Thursdays evenings from 7-9pm:

Eaglesmith Traveling Steam Show, Michael Kaeshammer, mer FredFred Eaglesmith Traveling Steam Show, Michael Kaeshammer, merrm m , r, Murray McLauchlan, Spirit of the West... .. .. Murray McLauchlan, Spirit of the West...

July .............. Impossible Bird July 4 4 .............. Impossible Bird July .............. David Newberry July 18 18 .............. David Newberry August .............. The Abramson Singers August 15 15 .............. The Abramson Singers August .............. Marc Atkinson Trio August 22 22 .............. Marc Atkinson Trio All ages shows | filberg.com All ages shows | filberg.com

Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013 53

festivals: august Sunfest Festival Aug 1st - 4th Duncan, BC

Held at the Cowichan Exhibition Grounds this festival features exhibits, food & merchandise vendors and a beer garden.

sunfestconcerts.com

The Festival at Sandpoint Aug 1st - 11th Sandpoint, ID

Annual summer concert series with eight nights of eclectic music under the stars on the shores of Lake Pend Oreille in Sandpoint, Idaho.

festivalatsandpoint.com

Wanderlust Festival Aug 1st - 4th Whistler, BC

Wanderlust a combination of yoga, music and nature and feeling good. Events like this are taking place around the country to bring people together around some essential ideas to try and create a platform for mindful living. Whether that is yoga or the arts or conscious consumerism or fair fashion, environmentalism, organic foods... these are the core principles and seem to be part of a growing cultural trend in this country.

Blueberry Bluegrass Country Music Festival Aug 2nd - 4th Stony Plain, AB

Western Canada’s largest blugrass fest! Great outdoor concert stage in Heritage Park.

blueberrybluegrass.com

Grizfest Aug 2nd - 4th Tumbler Ridge, BC

A music festival in the mountain wilderness catering to all kinds of diverse music selections. The Battle of the Bands starts off Friday night and the tunes, food and fun continue all weekend. Music all weekend, rain, shine or snow..

grizfest.com

Connect Festival Aug 2nd - 4th Besant Campground, SK

The Connect Festival started 17 years ago with international talent and urban culture in a beautiful southern Saskatchewan setting. Since then it has grown into western Canada’s most infamous grassroots electronica and alternative culture festivals.

connectfestival.ca

Fire n Water Music Festival Aug 2nd - 4th Lac du Bonnet, MB

Come out and enjoy Manitoba’s top Indie Music Festival. Featuring Manitoban & Canadian music with a sprinkling of a few international performers to help give it a little spice. Come see why we are the fastest growing festival in Manitoba.

firenwater.ca

whistler.wanderlustfestival.com

Kamloopa Pow Wow Aug 2nd - 4th Kamloops, BC

One of the largest celebrations of First Nations’ culture and heritage in western Canada. Held at the Secwepemc Pow Wow Grounds along the South Thompson River.

tourismkamloops.com/ home_showSection_ID_188.html

Monster Energy Center of Gravity Aug 2nd - 4th Kelowna, BC

Canada’s Hottest Beach Festival is happening this August long weekend at City Park Featuring world class sports: beach volleyball, basketball, wakeboarding, freestyle mountain biking, FMX, skateboarding, and BMX. Plus some of the world`s biggest names in Dance, Hip Hop, and Pop Music.

centerofgravity.ca

V.I.C. Fest (Vancouver Island Cultural Festival) August 2nd & 3rd Victoria, BC

V.I.C. Fest is a one-day outdoor festival held at the historic St. Ann’s Academy, providing a stunning and unique backdrop to a true Island experience. The event will feature 2 main stages with the Island’s most talented performers along with a sprawling orchard hosting the Island’s best local breweries, wine garden featuring wineries from around Vancouver Island and local food vendors feeding you the most delicious Island cuisine.

vicfest.ca

The award-winning Mt Baker Rhythm & Blues Festival at night. photo contributed.

54 Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013

As authentic as can be, for 18 years the Mount Baker Rhythm & Blues Festival has stayed true to its core of bringing the finest Blues musicians together annually on the August long weekend. This is the place to be fully immersed in the Blues, with top notch American musi-

cians and an all-star jam that goes into the wee hours each night. Set in the Deming Log Show Fairgrounds near Bellingham, Washington, there are 180 acres to camp, roam, jam, and enjoy. It’s the worth the trip for Canadian Blues fans, and there are full RV hookups, showers,

and plenty of good food. Ticket sales are limited to 2000 which keeps this festival, winner of the “Keeping the Blues Alive” and the “Best Blues Festival, America” awards, pretty intimate as far as festivals go. www.bakerblues.com

Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013 55

festivals: august Mt Baker Rhythm & Blues Festival Aug 2nd - 4th Bellingham, WA

Quickly becoming a “must attend” event, the Mount Baker R&B Festival has, once again, risen to the occasion. With top shelf talent, second to none, anywhere in the state,

bakerblues.com

Picture Butte Jamboree Days Aug 2nd - 4th Picture Butte, AB

Archery, slo pitch, pancakes, family street dance, and lots more family fun.

picturebutte.ca/visitors/ jamboree_days.php

Victoria Tango Festival Aug 2nd - 4th Victoria, BC

Three days of local, Canadian and international artists of music/dance performance in tango: classic tango, nuevo, tango-jazz, latin, fusion and more.

passion4tango.com

World’s Invitational Class A Gold Panning Championships Aug 2nd - 4th Taylor, BC

Festivities open on Friday night with a community parade, music and food at Peace Island Park. Champion gold panners return to defend their titles and panning skills are demonstrated and taught to newcomers. Real gold is at stake and

the competition is serious business. The weekend holds fun family events such as bannock baking, claims staking and metal detecting plus children’s activities.

fsjarts.org

Yellow Wolf Inter-tribal Pow Wow Aug 2nd - 4th Tsartlip Park on the West Saanich Rez, BC

Filberg Festival Aug 2nd - 5th Comox, BC

The Filberg Festival takes place on the beautiful 9-acre waterfront Filberg Heritage Lodge and Park, a designated Heritage Site in Comox, on Vancouver Island, British Columbia.

filbergfestival.com

ArtsWells Festival Of All Things Art Aug 2nd - 5th Wells/Barkersville, BC

This is a four-day outdoor & indoor event designed with community in mind. We hope that you will enjoy the weekend taking in all the great artists, the local flavour of nature trails, historical sites, artisans, and friendly folk!

artswells.com

Bass Coast Summer Festival Aug 2nd - 5th Merritt, BC

Bass Coast moves to Merritt!. A festival to support the local electronic underground arts community in BC. The love of Bass electronic music and creative innovation in all forms is at the core of the experience we are passionate about providing.

basscoast.ca

Riverboat Days Aug 2nd - 11th Terrace, BC

Getting ready for the big parade through the township of Wells. This year is the 10th Anniversary of ArtsWells Festival of All Things Art, August 2nd - 5th. photo Meaghan Cursons

56 Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013

An entire week to appreciate the history, the culture & simply the unequaled natural setting around Terrace. Riverboat Days has grown to become the premiere community festival of northwestern BC. Longstanding favourites such as the Legion Parade, the fireworks over Ferry Island & Concerts in the Park are sure to please.

riverboatdays.ca

festivals: august Harmony Arts Festival

Comox Nautical Days

Aug 2nd - 11th West Vancouver, BC

The West Vancouver waterfront turns into an open-air celebration of the arts. Expanded Art market & exhibitions, artist talks & demonstrations, studio tours, cinema in the park, over 70 concerts, salsa by the sea, and a unique wine/culinary experience in the wine garden. Something for everyone and all musical tastes. Concerts are free as are most other events.

harmonyarts.ca

Tons of live local music, plus weekend highlights include the Bullhead Derby, Canoe Jousting, Dragon Boat Races, Build, Bail& Sail, the Ceremony of the Flags, parade, food, crafts and fireworks. Free and great fun for the whole family.

comoxnauticaldays.ca

Folklorama Aug 3rd Winnipeg, MB

Canmore Folk Music Festival Aug 3rd - 5th Canmore, AB

Aug 3rd & 4th Comox, BC

The Canmore Folk Music Festival is a weekend-long event in the heart of the Rockies - with music, food vendors, craft vendors and plenty of activities for the whole family!

Folklorama promotes the ethno-cultural diversity of Manitoba through entertainment, public celebrations of culture and education.

folklorama.ca

Giants Head Freeride-LongBoard Aug 3rd - 5th Penticton, BC ridethegiant.ca

Kaslo Jazz Etc. Summer Music Festival Aug 3rd & 4th Kaslo, BC

Jazz may be in the festival’s name but it doesn’t end there. Many acts who have performed on the floating stage included blues, funk, soul, world, latin and jazz bands. The venue’s unique location provides festival patrons with natural amphitheater surrounded by pristine wilderness to enjoy while watching the performances on the floating stage nestled on the shoreline of Kootenay Lake.

kaslojazzfest.com

canmorefolkfestival.com

July 26– 28, 2013

OK ANAGAN TAT TO O ART & CULT URE S HOW

PARKINSON REC CENTRE / KELOWNA, BC

A boutique tattoo convention showcasing the region’s finest artists and international guests. This is the first event of its kind to be hosted in the Okanagan! Come see and experience artists working live, artisan vendors, our amazing car show, our pin up and bikini contests, and circus-themed entertainment! And be sure to take part in our silent auction for KIDSPORT, and free kids activities on Sunday. OTACS .CA | FB.COM/OTAC S | T WIT T E R @ OTAC S_

Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013 57

festivals: august Kimberley Music Festival Aug 3rd & 4th Kimberley, BC

One of the most entertaining and fastest growing events in the Kootenays, the Kimberley Music Festival, generates energy and excitement at all levels.

tourismkimberley.com

Sky High Blues Festival Aug 3rd & 4th Rock Creek, BC

The Sky High Blues Festival is a corporate free zone with a demographic ranging from toddlers to pensioners. Their riverside site offers tubing, swimming, basking plus good vibes.

skyhighblues.org

Edge of the August 9•10•11, 2013 World music festival Haida Gwaii The Boom Booms T. Nile Shred Kelly Mihirangi edgefestival.com

Spirit of the Sea Festival Aug 3rd - 4th White Rock, BC

The Spirit of the Sea Festival is a weekend full of free fun for the whole family. Children’s carnival and parade, beach games, races & continuous live entertainment for all.

spiritofthesea.ca

Vancouver Pride Festival Aug 4th Vancouver, BC

Vancouver Pride Parade attendance exceeds the population of its host city, the City of Vancouver, and is the only Pride Parade in the world which can make this claim. Now that is something to celebrate!

vancouverpride.ca

24 Sep 1945 - 25 Dec 2012 Elizabeth Jean Inkster This Christmas Haida Gwaii lost a key member of their arts and festival community. Elizabeth Inkster was a singer, weaver, postmaster, and a founding organizer of the Edge of the World festival. She brought music to Haida Gwaii in many ways, including hosting the music festival on her property for years, bringing amazing performers to the island through the Arts Council, and singing in her own beautiful voice. She passed away after a short battle with colon cancer, so friends and community members are still reeling from the loss. Mary Murphy and Paul Keim are musicians and the owners of Dove Creek Studios in Courtenay, BC. They were able to help Elizabeth fulfill her dream of recording a cd, which she called “My Wild Island Home”. Mary writes: To have been on the receiving end of Elizabeth’s love and devotion was, and continues to be, a beautiful thing. Who could not smile when thinking of her infectious laughter, naughty sense of humour and shining life force. We were so blessed to have had many years of friendship with both she and Keith. When it was decided that she would record her CD with us, we were all like little children at Christmas. She worked diligently, whole-heartedly in fact, and in the end,

58 Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013

Saskatoon Exhibition Aug 6th - 11th Saskatoon, SK

Numerous stages, youth talent search, art show, rides, beer gardens and more!

saskatoonexhibition.ca

Peach Festival Aug 7th - 11th Penticton, BC

The biggest free five-day festival in Western Canada. Featuring fabulous entertainment, a variety of vendors, two parades, an Aboriginal Cultural Village, a square dance festival, Penticton Peach Festival Royalty, a sandcastle competition and a midway.

peachfest.com

held up a beautiful portrait of her music. Little did any of us know that it would end up being so important a legacy for her family and friends. She was keen to think outside of the box and to stretch herself to new heights. She left our home and studio standing tall and rightfully proud. We miss her greatly, just like everyone else who had the honour of knowing her. This year’s EOTW festival is dedicated to Elizabeth, and the broad theme of ‘voice’ is guiding the planning. For Elizabeth, who loved dragonflies: Returned today A dragonflyspring within its wings. Light, drippingfrom transparent veils flitting among the flora O how sweet her fleeting glance toward those who eyed her merry dance O how raw the bitter seed That time has sown and left behind Solace in the dragon’s eyes Beating wings in breezy sighs The jutting creature softly croons, ‘To be fragile is to be alive.’ O how sweet her fleeting glance toward those who eyed her merry dance Mary Murphy 2013

festivals: august Shambhala Music Festival Aug 7th - 12th Salmo, BC

Canada’s premier electronic music festival that is a celebration of music, art & life. Completely free of corporate sponsorship, funded solely by ticket sales. Six themed stages and four camping zones.

shambhalamusicfestival.com

Edmonton Folk Fest Aug 8th - 11th Edmonton, AB

An irresistible festival set in Gallagher Park in Edmonton’s lush river valley. Since 1980 and still growing, it’s definitely one of Canada’s finest festivals.

edmontonfolkfest.org

Fiestaval Aug 8th Christina Lake, BC

A gala evening of food, art and celebration.

kettleriverarts.com/KRA/Welcome

Great Woods Music Festival Aug 8th - 10th Great Woods Park, Beausejour, MB

The Great Woods Music Festival features two stages in Great Woods Park offering acres of spacious groomed lawns and many shade trees giving the audience room to relax and really enjoy the music.

greatwoodspark.com

on ts w! e k Tic le No sa

John Arcand Fiddle Fest Aug 8th - 11th Saskatoon, SK

The aim of this festival is to promote Métis cultural traditions through the preservation and promotion of fiddle music and dance and to provide a forum to showcase youth, talent and culture.

johnarcandfiddlefest.com

edgefestival.com

Flowmotion Summer Meltdown Aug 9th - 11th Darrington, WA

The biggest little festival in the northwest! World-class music, beautiful nature, incredible people held annually at the Whitehorse Mountain Amphitheater.

Campbell River Salmon Festival Aug 9th - 11th Victoria, BC

The prime industries of Northern Vancouver Island are forestry and fishing and our festival is a tribute to them. They don’t have much music but they should so please go and encourage them

crsalmonfestival.com

summermeltdown.com

Regina Folk Festival Aug 9th - 11th Regina, SK

The Regina Folk Festival draws great acts and great crowds to the Queen City each summer.

Desert Daze Festival

reginafolkfestival.com

Aug 9th & 10th Spences Bridge, BC

This little festival celebrates community and rural BC with an incredible musical line-up, family-friendly activities, educational workshops, farm displays and often, hot weather.

desertdaze.ca

Edge of the World Music Festival on Haida Gwaii Aug 9th - 11th Tlell, BC

hop, and everything in between. Magical ambiance, diverse vendors, a kids zone, and workshops all delight at this unique festival on stunning Haida Gwaii.

Squamish Valley Music Festival Aug 9th & 10th Squamish, BC

Three days of the best in Indie, Rock, Alt-folk/Neo-folk... and Glamping (glamour and camping). Formerly known as Live at Squamish, BC’s biggest festival is bigger than ever. You might want to check this one out...

squamishfestival.com

Opening and closing with traditional Haida song and dance, EOTW music festival endeavours to bring a wide selection of musical acts – from world beat to hip

Blue Rodeo Saturday, August 10th Deer Lake Park

burnabybluesfestival.com banner_7x2.25_19apr13.indd 1

4/22/13 8:50 AM

Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013 59

festivals: august Summer Meltdown Festival Aug 9th - 11th Darrington, WA

A grassroots music festival with 4 stages of music, Onsite camping, Late night Performances, River Access, Kids Activities, Music Workshops, Beer Garden, Green Village and so much more!

summermeltdown.com

Wapiti Fernie’s Music Festival Aug 9th & 10th Fernie, BC

Fernie’s new music fest includes fun, music and cold beer! The focus is on fresh Canadian indie music.

wapitimusicfestival.com

Whistler Crankworx Festival

Downtown Kelowna Block Party

Aug 9th - 18th Whistler, BC

Aug 10th Kelowna, BC

crankworx.com

downtownkelowna.com/what-to-do/ downtown-kelowna-block-party

When Crankworx rides into town, Whistler BC makes its annual transformation into the Colosseum of freeride mountain biking. In a stadium of dirt sculpted out of raw mountain, a hedonic convergence of riders and bike lovers from all around the world gathers to crown champions and revel in the mountain biking revolution.

Kelowna closes the streets of downtown for the biggest block party in the Okanagan! Family, friends and dogs are welcome for a full day of shopping, fashion shows, children’s activities, dancing, music and more! Three street stages and fun free outdoor activities.

Burnaby Blues & Roots Festival

Triport Music Festival

Aug 10th Burnaby, BC

Aug 10th Port Hardy, BC

14th Annual Burnaby Blues & Roots Festival features renowned musicians from around the world. Deer Lake Park.

The Triport Festival is held at Cluxewe Resort, a beautiful spot on the beach between Port McNeill and Port Hardy. Focused on a blues and R&B. Children under 12 are free. Camping, beer garden, craft vendors & more.

burnabybluesfestival.com

triportmusicfest.ca

KAMLOOPS THIS WEEK | 1365B Dalhousie Dr, Kamloops V2C 5P6 | 250 374 7467 | kamloopsthisweek.com Pleased to support upcoming spring events in Kamloops

May 03, 2013 Daniel Lapp @ St. John Vianney Church Hall May 03, 2013 Indonesian Music and Dance @ the North Shore Community Centre May 03, 2013 - May 04, 2013 Margit Bull @ Fireside Steakhouse & Bar May 04, 2013 The Thompson Valley Community Orchestra presents Movies ‘n More @ Calvary Community Church May 04, 2013 Cathleen Lesperance @ The Art We Are May 04, 2013 Cod Gone Wild @ The Kamloops Curling Club

May 07, 2013 Spring Author Series @ the Kamloops Library

May 21, 2013 Ben Heppner Recital @ The Sagebrush Theatre

May 08, 2013 Spring Author Series: Angela Abdou @ the Kamloops Library

May 25, 2013 Spring Author Series: May Wong @ The Kamloops Library

May 10, 2013 - May 11, 2013 Cathi Marshall @ Fireside Steakouse & Bar

May 25, 2013 Bike Rodeo @ Interior Savings Centre

May 11, 2013 - May 12, 2013 May 31, 2013 - Jun 02, 2013 The Kamloops Symphony presents: Kosmic Kaleidoscope New Thought A Splendid Adventure @ Sagebrush Theatre Conference @ Desert Gardens Community May 11, 2013 May 31, 2013 McIvor In Motion @ the Ukrainian Hall Margit Bull @ Fireside Steakhouse & Bar May 16, 2013 - May 18, 2013 Downtown Spring Arts Festival May 17, 2013 - May 18, 2013 Sabrina Weeks @ Fireside Steakhouse & Bar

Jun 07, 2013 The Scott Woods Show Swingin’ Fiddles @ Calvary Community Church Jul 01, 2013 Art in the Park @ Riverside Park

60 Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013

festivals: august Arts on the Edge

Centralia Old-Time Music Campout

Aug 10th & 11th Kimberley, BC

Aug 11th - 18th Centralia, WA

A celebration of all the arts, from performing to visual to culinary.

This is a relaxed event for musicians who like lots of jamming and hanging out with old friends and making new ones.

artsontheedge.ca

centraliacampout.com

British Columbia Swing Camp

Flag Stop Theatre & Arts Festival

Aug 11th - 17th Sorrento, BC

Spend an inspiring, challenging and joyous week with others who share a passion for swing. The BC Swing Camp provides a friendly, non-competitive environment for everyone from swing novices to more seasoned players. You’ll enjoy an extensive selection of seminars and workshops to help you grow as a musician.

bcswingcamp.ca

Aug 11th Whistler, BC

New festival, check it out and let us know!

thepointartists.com

Okanagan Pride Festival Aug 12th - 19th Kelowna, BC

An open, inclusive, inter-faith, ecumenical gathering to celebrate diversity and inclusion.

okanaganpride.com/pride-events

ReggaeFest Aug 14th - 17th Calgary, AB

Calgary’s ReggaeFest isn’t just for reggae fans. The main stage event is a full day family affair that transcends racial, cultural and musical boundaries. With live performances from national and international reggae artists, ReggaeFest features a beer garden, separate youth area, and plenty of arts & crafts. Taste reggae culture from the many food vendors.

calgaryreggaefestival.com

Mad Hatter Music Festival Aug 15th - 18th Happy Homestead, Leduc, AB

A wonderland, centered on mind-melting basslines and guitar riffs, complete with camping, art, workshops, performers, love, community and much more. Come grow with them.

madhattermusicfestival.com

ROCKIN’ RIVER PRODUCTIONS PRESENTS

Rockin’ River Musicfest 2013 August 15-17 ~ Mission, BC at Mission Raceway Park (32670 Dyke Road)

Brad Paisley Big and Rich Joe Nichols Trooper

Plus

Chris Young and Emerson Drive and more

Tix and info: www.rockinriverfest.com or select Lower Mainland London Drugs and Lordco outlets Rockin’ River hotline: 604-733-2235

Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013 61

festivals: august Manitoba Electronic Music Exhibition Aug 15th - 18th Winnipeg, MB

Manitoba Electronic Music Exhibition aka "MEME" is a yearly electronic music and digital arts festival stated in 2010 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada every year in June. This is the most significant electronic music event in both Manitoba and anywhere in Western Canada. MEME started in 2010 and features various concerts, events, workshops and a series of free outdoor concerts located at The Cube in Winnipeg’s Old Market Square.

memetic.ca

Rockin’ River Music Fest Aug 15th - 17th Mission, BC

BC’s biggest country music festival, Rockin’ River Music Festival at Mission Raceway Park (32670 Dyke Rd., Mission) features Trooper headlining Thursday’s Kickoff Party; Brad Paisley headlining Friday, and Big and Rich headlining Saturday. Also performing are Joe Nichols, Chris Young, Emerson Drive, and more. RRMF tickets are available at rockinriverfest.com, or at select Lower Mainland London Drugs and Lordco outlets.

rockinriverfest.com facebook.com/rockinriver

Saskatoon Folkfest Aug 15th - 17th Saskatoon, SK

For three days each year, Saskatoon comes alive with the sights, sounds and tastes of our ethnic heritage.

saskatoonfolkfest.ca

Aug 15th - 18th Dawson City, YK

The Yukon Riverside Arts Festival is an annual KIAC summer event that takes place on Dawson City’s Discovery Days weekend. The festival is primarily based outdoors in open-air tents along the Yukon River, but events also take place at numerous venues around town.

kiac.ca/artsfestival

Blackberry Festival Street Party Aug 16th Powell River, BC

This family-friendly festival features contests held throughout the week, a wine & cheese party and a huge street party on Friday including an amazing fireworks display.

discoverpowellriver.com/ things-to-do-and-see

Central Music Festival Aug 16th - 18th Red Deer, AB

Live music, kids korner, art, crafts, great food, beer garden.

centralmusicfest.com

Come By The Hills Music Festival Aug 16th & 17th Mistahiya, AB

Nestled in the beautiful Battle River Valley in East Central Alberta. The Battle River Music Society is bringing you a great lineup of folk, country, roots, blues, jazz and Celtic musicians.

Harvest Sun Music Fest Aug 16th - 18th Kelwood, MB

The Harvest Sun Music Fest is a small festival with a big heart, bringing awareness of, and support to, the family farm and agriculture by providing a forum for farming organizations to create awareness of their cause through music and the arts. Supporting Manitoba performers and artists, the festival maintains an all-Canadian line-up throughout the festival’s duration.

theharvestsun.com

Karma Aug 16th - 18th 3 hrs from Vancouver, BC

"KARMA" is a concept of world-art, inspired by the functional earth-based mythologies, cultures and tribal qualities of the world trance community. "Goa Trance Mission" will integrate trance music, communal dancing and visual effects, with the intention of creating a community of cultural convergence. This unity is made possible when the audience becomes a participant and feels the connection to the source.

goatrancemission.com

Northern Lights Bluegrass Festival Aug 16th - 18th Ness Creek, SK

Presented by Northern Lights Bluegrass PROa Unon-profit D SP O NSO & Old Tyme Music Society, RS O F society of members whoTH do E a20whole 13 COheck Ltime DSNAP of a lot to promote bluegrass and old MUSand IC FEbeyond. music all over Saskatchewan STIVAL,

January northernlightsbluegrass.ca

18 PRINCE GE -26 O RG E, B

comebythehills.ca

CONNECT .COM

Website for all bands & musicians & the ONE website for those looking to hire.

bandZconnect.com

62 Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013

Kispiox Music Festival, 2011

BAND

Yukon River Side Art Festival

McKillican Production Services ltd.

Professional Sound and Lighting Production 250-255-7705 cguys@uniserve.com

festivals: august Old Country Western Bluegrass Weekend Aug 16th - 18th Midway, BC

Held at the Midway Community Center, featuring a band scramble, open mic, Sunday Gospel, and lots of food. Bring your instruments and join in.

members.shaw.ca/midwaymusicfest

Princeton Traditional Music Festival Aug 16th - 18th Princeton, BC

The festival features a big public dance on Friday and two full days of concerts, workshops and jams. The festival is free.

princetontraditional.org/festival

Rainbow Trout Music Festival

Salmon Arm Roots & Blues Festival

Aug 16th - 18th Winnipeg, MB

Aug 16th - 18th Salmon Arm, BC

rainbowtroutfestival.tumblr.com

rootsandblues.ca

The RTMF cooperative promotes and celebrates diversity in local music by hosting the annual RTMF along with smaller events throughout the year. By including all genres of music the festival offers the opportunity to experience an unmatched cross section of styles available at any single event currently held in Manitoba.

Robson Valley Music Festival

The Salmon Arm Roots & Blues Festival is among the largest and most musically diverse festivals in B.C. Roots & Blues provides an incredible sonic and visual sampler and it’s a great place to come together with family and friends. Kids 12 and under are admitted free of. Come join in the excitement!

Shady Grove Bluegrass Festival

Aug 16th - 18th Dunster, BC

Aug 16th - 18th Nanton, AB

robsonvalleymusicfestivalbc.com

foothillsbluegrass.com/ ShadyGrove/SGindex.php

One of the newest and coolest grass roots, multi-genre music festivals in BC! Festival is held in the heart of the pristine and remote Robson Valley. A large list of performers is found on the web site. Camping available.

Over the years it has been one of Southern Alberta’s “must-experience” music destinations. Adding to the enjoyment of the music is the incredibly beautiful and relaxing atmosphere of Broadway Farm.

MoM Festival

2013

August 23-25

Fort St James, BC

You want blues skies... incredible cuisine... an entertainment explosion.... Check out this line up and plan your trip to the sunshine capitol of BC... Spences Bridge!

June 23rd: Theatre in the Raw July 6th: Morgan Davis July 17th: Sean Ashby July 29th: Scarlett Jane Call 250 458 2256 for your dinner and show reservation.

8 to 8 Open Day Every

The Packing House Located in downtown Spences Bridge just off the #8 and #1 Highways on Riverview Avenue

Licensed Establishment

3705 Riverview Ave, Spences Bridge, BC 250 458 2256 ◆ steverice53@msn.com

FREE Wi-Fi

BC Musician readers agree: “A MUST STOP spot!”

vendors workshops 2 stages Music roving theatre

Drum and art by Crystal Charlotte

on the Mountain

momfestival.com

FREE camping momfestival@yahoo.ca Early Bird: $60

Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013 63

festivals: august Victoria Dragon Boat Festival

SpagWest Fest

Aug 16th - 18th Inner Harbour, Victoria, BC

Aug 17th Calgary, AB

Three days of unique culture & sport with something for everyone! Thrilling dragon boat races. Live multicultural entertainment. Fun crafts in the children’s tent. Forbidden City Food Court’s tantalizing cuisine. Lights of Courage lantern campaign. Paddler’s air band competition.

victoriadragonboat.com

Arts Alive in the Park Aug 17th & 18th Saturdays 11 am - 7 pm Sundays 11 am - 6 pm Powell River, BC

Arts Alive in the Park is two days of summer fun at the end of the Blackberry Festival in the third week of August. Established and emerging local artists display their work and present it for sale. There is also dance, music, a poetry slam and workshops for both kids and adults.

powellriverartscouncil.com/arts_alive

The Spaghetti Western Festival is a free music festival celebrating new directions in country and western music. The event takes place at Olympic Plaza in the heart of Calgary’s downtown and features local and international artists.

facebook.com/ spaghettiwesternfestival

JamCamp By The Sea Aug 18th-24th Gibsons, BC

Jam Camp is a musical adventure for families of all ages and musical experience! For 3-5 days, Jam Campers camp with our multinational crew of facilitators, and explore music that celebrates life, nature, and cultural diversity. From African drumming to classical violin, Jam Camp encourages families to use their instruments to jam with other musicians and to create new, original songs. Come join the fun!

jamcamp.org

NimbleFingers Bluegrass and Old-Time Music Workshop and Festival Workshops Aug 18th - 23rd & 25th-30th; Festival 24th Noon 9pm Sorrento, BC

Spend an inspiring, challenging, and thrilling week with others who share your passion for bluegrass and old-time music! Each August we’re proud to host NimbleFingers Bluegrass and Old-Time Music Workshop in Sorrento, BC–about 5 hours from Vancouver and 7 hours by car from Calgary between Kamloops and Salmon Arm. World-class instructors, loads of jamming, old-time dances and a wonderful community of folks. Stay for the Festival on Saturday Aug 24th!

nimblefingers.ca

Victoria Fringe Festival Aug 22nd - Sept 1st Victoria, BC

Amazing live comedy, drama, dance, spoken word, musicals and physical theatre – over 370 performances in 9 venues. Fringegoing is easy, fun and slightly addictive. Once you start, you won’t want to stop!

victoriafringe.com

Colourful Wells. Cool line up of colourful music coming this year too. photos LV Nash

Pleased to support winter events in Prince George & area

Saturday, May 4 until Oct 8:30am - 2:00pm Outdoor Farmers Market (behind The Keg) 1074 6th Ave. Saturday, May 4 1:00pm - 3:00pm Touch a Truck Big wheels, big smiles! This is a special Pro D Day event so bring the whole family! Location: Prince George Public Library. (250) 563-9251 Saturday, May 4 7:30pm - 9:30pm Cantata Sings Broadway Prince George Cantata Singers at Prince George Playhouse (250) 563-2880 Thursday, May 9 8:00pm - 11:00pm Corb Lund At The Pilsner Bush Bash Corb Lund and the Hurtin’ Albertans, not to be missed! 1-855-985-5000 Ticketmaster Friday, May 10 Saturday, May 11 10:00am - 4:00pm Artist Gathering (250) 562-4526 Studio 2880 Friday, May 10 8:00pm The Platters In Concert Dinner show featuring The Legendary Platters. Also on the bill, Ray Richardson’s Ink Spots. (250) 563-0055

Saturday, May 11 8:00pm Faber Drive in Concert with local guests Horses and Bayonets at the Prince George Playhouse. (250) 640-6670 Sunday, May 12 3:00pm - 5:00pm Prince George Symphony Orchestra: Tea & Symphony Blending tea and music in honour of mother’s day. Westwood Mennonite Brethern Church (250) 562-0800 Sunday, May 19 Monday, May 20 10:00am - 4:00pm Spring on the Homestead Activities include maypole dance, crafts, ice cream making, and high tea. Huble Homestead Historic Site (250) 564-7033 Tuesday, May 21 8:30pm Carrie Underwood in Concert Her “Blown Away” tour at CN Centre. 1-855-985-5000 Friday, June 7 7:30pm - 10:00pm A Fiddler’s History of Canada Learn how the fiddle has shpaed Canada’s history and contributed to our cultural mosaic. Prince George Playhouse 250) 640-6670 Sunday, June 23 10:00am - 4:00pm Dog Expo Huble Homestead Historic Site Phone: (250) 564-7033

PG FREE PRESS | 1773 S Lyon St, Prince George, BC V2N 1T3 250 564 0005 | pgfreepress.com

Canmore FOLK MUSIC FESTIVAL Centennial Park - Canmore, Alberta

August 3, 4 & 5, 2013

Jim Cuddy Band ~ Spirit of the West Matt Andersen ~ David Francey Great Lake Swimmers ~ Chic Gamine Del Barber ~ Rose Cousins ~ Ben Sollee Alex Cuba ~ Tony Furtado ~ Habadekuk Alpha Yaya Diallo ~ Good For Grapes The Harpoonist and the Axe Murderer Mary Jane Lamond and Wendy MacIsaac Oliver Swain's BIG MACHINE Tim Williams ~ Plus our offsite stage 4 pub, featuring local & touring artists! New this year, Youth and Family tickets! All prices include service fees & GST. Available through Ticketpro.ca. Visit our website for more information! With the generous assistance of:

CanmoreFolkFestival.com Photos: Jim Cuddy by Sally Davies; David Francey by Tony Girardin

Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013 65

festivals: august Canadian Rockies East Coast Kitchen Party

Music on the Mountain Aug 23th - 25th Fort St. James, BC

Aug 23rd - 25th Nordegg, AB

An amazing weekend festival complete with lively & talented performers, spectacular mountain scenery & a fresh lobster dinner. This music is guaranteed to get your toes a-tappin’! Don’t forget to check out the late-night jam sessions in our Pub once the mainstage closes. Come get your jig on! Located on Hwy 11 at Cline River, AB

davidthompsonresort.com/ specialevents.htm

This funky and eclectic little festival will showcase an impressive array of Manitoba musicians and local artists whose mission is to connect people and build community through art, music and nature, and to model sustainable and environmentally responsible practices.

matlockfestival.ca

Morden Corn & Apple Festival

Aug 23rd - 25th Sandilands, MB

Summertime Blues Aug 23rd - 25th Nanaimo, BC

The Nanaimo Blues Society has organized and presented six highly successful, Summertime Blues! festivals. These outdoor Blues festivals have been held in downtown Nanaim national and internationally renowned Blues musicians.

nanaimobluesfestival.com/festival.htm

Aug 23rd - 25th Morden, MB

The Morden Corn and Apple Festival is a family event and has a reputation for catering to all age groups with a variety of events to guarantee the enjoyment of all.

cornandapple.com

HERE COMES SUMMER!

Mid Autumn Moon Festival Aug 24th Barkerville, BC

This traditional Chinese celebration, honouring Barkerville’s Chinese heritage, features enthralling music, ceremonial dragon dancing, martial arts demonstrations and activities all day. The parade begins at dusk with a lantern parade through Barkerville. Bring your own lantern or make one at our lantern-making workshop.

barkerville.ca

South Cariboo Garlic Festival Aug 24th & 25th Lac La Hache, BC

This festival is firstly about garlic! You will find garlic and garlic eats and treats, spices, rubs as well there are plenty of other artisans at the festival. There is also live entertainment.

VAL STI FE

Coming July 1st, it's our anN E ’ S nual Summer Arts Issue. Special focus this year is: public art; installations; street art; art-focused festivals; and scavenged, found and recycled art. info@bcmusicianmag.com www.bcmusicianmag.com

Shine on Festival of Music and Art

facebook.com/pages/ Shine-On-Festival-of-Music-Art

Aug 23rd - 25th Matlock, MB

Be part of it!

momfestival.com

Celebrating the end of the summer, Shine On has been around since 2005, currently taking place at the Sandilands Provincial Forest

Matlock Festival of Music, Art and Nature

ATE SUMM ER

Murray Ridge Ski Area. Three days of art and magic, with two stages, roving theatre, workshops, youth activities, vendors, visual arts, crafts and more. MoM misses you!

garlicfestival.ca

66 Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013

Wood Mountain Folk Festival Aug 24th Wood Mountain, SK

Held at the Mergel Ranch in the beautiful Wood Mountain Hills.

mergelranch.com

Interior Provincial Exhibition Aug 28th - Sept 1st Armstrong, BC

The Interior Provincial Exhibition (I.P.E.) is an exciting five-day agricultural fair with a massive impact on the region. As the largest event in the Interior of British Columbia and showcases agricultural history, cultural and artistic talents. With 20 different exhibition divisions, rodeo, parade and music.

armstrongipe.com

Lytton River Festival Aug 30th - Sept 1st Lytton, BC

Annual festival is a FREE event held on Labour Day weekend. Performances on the main stages Friday and Saturday nights. Table 23 Improv Company perform Saturday, experience an all-day Pow Wow on Sunday, Artisan craft demos & sale, Children’s activities and even Chicken Poop Bingo! The atmosphere is always full of energy, dancing and quality music.

riverfestival.ca

Ponderosa Aug 30th - Sept 1st Rock Creek, BC

Grab some friends this Labour Day long weekend and get yourself to the first annual Ponderosa Festival in the stunning Kettle Valley. A short drive south of Kelowna and a 45 minute drive east of Osoyoos, sits the little town of Rock Creek, BC. The local fair grounds, surrounded by beautiful forest and nestled on the banks of the Kettle River, is where the stage will be set to rock, where the people will come together and where the party will erupt! It will be the place where artists from all backgrounds can put their work on display and introduce people to their craft.

Ponderosafestival.com

Local

the

Your weekly community paper Sunshine Coast, BC

Pleased to support spring events all around the Sunshine Coast

July 19 - 21

First Thursday evenings Acoustic Artists presented by The Garage Sessions, 537 Veterans Road All acoustic, non-performance welcoming environment. Food bank donations appreciated.

Second Friday of each month Music Coffee House at the Madeira Park School of Music. 604 883 9749

Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars * Kimya Dawson * Blue King Brown *

Third Friday of each month Astro Cafe at Pier 17, Davis Bay. Weather permitting, telescopes set up on seawall after dark. 604 886 9747 • coastastronomy.ca

Wiz * The Good Ol' Goats * Shook Twins

Every Thursday evening Coast Symphony Orchestra new members welcome. 604 741 1530

Aesop Rock with Rob Sonic and DJ Big

First Saturday of each month Saturday Night Blues at Blackfish Pub, Gibsons.

* Tofu Stravinsky * Bessie and the Back Eddies *

Saturdays until September 28 Sechelt Farmers & Artisans Market 9 - 2:30, end of Cowrie Street. secheltmarket.org

Cahalen Morrisson & Eli West * Tipicamp Tribute

May 12 Daniel Bolshoy & Celso Machado Classical guitarist Daniel Bolshoy and world music percussionist, guitarist and vocalist Celso Machado perform at Madeira Park School of Music 604 883 9749

Ensemble * Shane Philip and more

May 18 Dawn Pemberton with the PeterVan B3 Trio featuring Karen Graves at the Garden Bay Pub, Pender Harbour. 778 228 3585 May 24-26 Lund Shellfish Festival Chowder Challenge, shellfish food vendors, activities, music. lundbc.ca

May 17-19 Roberts Creek Arts Festival Music, art, film and food at 11 Roberts Creek locations during the May 25 May long weekend. Electro Statik with DJ Aerion, robertscreekartsfestival.com. DJ Stimz & Cody Won Konobi at May 17-19 Roberts Creek Legion. Attack of Danger Bay 12 604 886 9747 Saturday slide competition, longJune 6-9 board parade, longboard hockey game, strikers cash. Sunday: race 10th Annual Pender Harbour day, evening awards ceremony at Blues Festival Terry Hanck, John Lee Sanders and more at Garden Madeira community hall. Bay Pub, Pender Harbour coastlongboarding.com Community Hall & Park, Pender May 18-19 Harbour School of Music. Sunshine Coast BioBlitz penderharbourbluesfestival.com This family friendly event is part June 14-16 contest, part festival, part 18th Annual Gibsons Landing educational event, and part Jazz Festival Live music throughscientific enterprise. Bringing together scientists, naturalists and out the Landing, on the streets, in community members to count as the parks. coastjazz.com many species from as many June 22 different taxonomic groups as pos- 12th annual Children’s Festival & sible during the 24 hour count of Duck Pluck Dougall Park, Gibsons life. Iris Griffith Centre, presented Landing. sccss.ca by Ruby Lake Lagoon Society. 604 883 9201

Visit starbellyjam.org today to buy tickets and follow us on Facebook for more announcements.

THE LOCAL | 5758 Cowrie, Sechelt, BC V0N 3A0 604 885 3134 | www.thelocalweekly.ca

Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013 67

festivals: august PotashCorp Fireworks Festival Aug 30th - 31st Saskatoon, SK

The hub of activity for the PotashCorp Fireworks Festival is Saskatoon’s spectacular River Landing, along the South Saskatchewan River in the heart of Saskatoon. Live shows Friday and Saturday evenings at two locations: the Amphitheatre at River Landing and across the river in Rotary Park.

potashcorpfireworksfestival.ca

Symphony Under The Sky Aug 30th - Sept 1st Edmonton, AB

Held labour day weekend every year, relaxing, outdoor stage. Individual concert and weekend passes available.

edmontonsymphony.com

White Rock’’s Blues By The Sea Festival

Deep Cove Daze Community Arts Festival

Aug 30th - Sept 1st White Rock, BC

Aug 31st North Vancouver, BC

This will be the third annual Blues by the Sea festival, held on the Saturday of the Labour Day weekend in White Rock, BC. It is held in the beautiful oceanside park owned and operated by the Semiahmoo First Nation. There is a great bandshell there.

The festival includes a main stage with bands and entertainment, a kid’s stage, an artisan village featuring all types of arts and crafts, a midway of rides for kids, food fair, sponsor booths, and a beer garden.

musart.ca

whiterockblues.com

Sunshine Music Festival

Bumbershoot

Aug 31st - Sept 1st Powell River, BC

Aug 31st - Sept 2nd Seattle, WA

The Annual Sunshine Music Festival is set to take place during Labour Day Weekend of 2013. The Festival is a celebration of music from across Canada and the world.

Seattle’s Music & Arts Festival, Bumbershoot takes place in the heart of the city. Revel in the world of Bumbershoot and experience everything from regional favourites to international superstars.

sunshinemusicfest.com

bumbershoot.org

The Victory Square Block Party

meg@bcmusicianmag.com • donna@bcmusicianmag.com

An afternoon of fundraising, bands, comedy, nature, random sprinkler attacks and music in an historic setting with all your friends. Free!

VAL GUI I T S D E F

TE SUMM A MBe part of it! Get in touch EtoRadvertise: N I IA LT

victorysquare.net

Vancouver Island Blues Bash Aug 31st - Sept 2nd Victoria, BC

The Vancouver Island Blues Bash fulfills the mandate of the Victoria Jazz Society by featuring local, regional and international blues and R&B artists/groups in both free to the public, and paid admission performances, on the beautiful outdoor stage in Victoria’s Inner Harbor, Ship Point Picnic Site.

jazzvictoria.ca/blues-bash

Vancouver International Fringe Festival Sept 5th - 15th Vancouver, BC

An annual festival in Vancouver since 1985. Originally, the Festival was focused in the Mount Pleasant area of Vancouver, but moved to Commercial Drive in 1995, and again to the current home on Granville Island in 2000. While the majority of the Festival takes place on Granville Island, it takes over the city thanks to the artists who produce BYOV (Bring Your Own Venue) shows at various venues.

vancouverfringe.com

U IC M

68 Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013

HERE COMES SUMMER! Coming July 1st, it's our annual Summer Arts Issue. ’S I N E Special focus this year is: Z public art; installations; street art; art-focused A AG festivals; and scavenged, found and recycled art. M

Aug 31st & Sept 1st Vancouver, BC

tish Bri

festivals: august Annual Cowboy and Drover Jubilee Sept 6th - 8th Barkerville, BC

Come celebrate BC’s rich cowboy heritage with 3 musical venues, poetry tent, singing competition, drover-themed activities and games, hands-on educational opportunities, and a community-minded “hoedown” that is sure to keep Barkerville’s visitors humming historical tunes and stomping their dancing feet well past the festivities.

barkerville.ca

Pentastic Jazz Festival Sept 6th - 8th Penticton, BC

Three days of world class jazz to entertain and excite music lovers of all ages.

pentasticjazz.com

Fleetwood Community Festival Sept 7th 11am-3pm Surrey, BC

The festival is designed to create a sense of community. We hope you will enjoy this day of fun, excitement and celebration!

creating a platform for artistic growth. The society wishes to make new media art, music, film, technology-based installation and performance accessible to a wider audience.

2013.newformsfestival.com

of local artists, tasty produce of local producers and the beauty of the Pembina Valley.

harvestmoonsociety.org/festival

Jasper Folk Music Festival Sept 13th - 15th Jasper, AB

Rifflandia Festival Sept 12th - 15th Victoria, BC

The Rifflandia Festival has quickly established itself as a premier West Coast music festival, transforming BC’s Capital city for four days of music, art, food, deals and more: Royal Athletic Park, multiple night stages plus the War Child Lounge.

rifflandia.com

Harvest Moon Festival Sept 13th - 15th Clearwater, MB

The festival is a key to promoting the Harvest Moon Learning Centre, the generous spirit of the Town of Clearwater, the talents

Returning after a six year absence with a new name and new dates, the Jasper Folk Music Festival will fill Centennial Park with fantastic late summer sounds.

facebook.com/JasperFolkMusicFestival

Kaleido Family Arts Festival Sept 13th - 15th Edmonton, AB

Visual and performance artists, literary and film artists, photographers, and musicians collaborate and create in the 118 Avenue district.

artsontheave.org/festivals/kaleido/

FERNIE BC’s Music Festival

fcasurrey.ca/aspx/festival.aspx

Victoria International Chalk Art Festival Sept 11th - 15th Victoria, BC

A two-day chalk art exposition across our beautiful downtown. From Government Street to Centennial Square, this year we are introducing a music stage, food village, artisans, a much expanded kid’s chalkers area and even more artists.

tiered pricing children 12&under FREE adults 65&older FREE

victoriachalkfestival.com

Accordion Noir Festival Sept 12th - 15th Vancouver, BC

Vancouver’s annual celebration of the world’s most misunderstood instrument.

accordionnoirfest.com

New Forms Festival Sept 12th - 15th Vancouver, BC

The NFF is part of a larger, international, media and electronic music festival movement, which explores the everchanging and evolving world of art, while

plants and animals current swell no sinner loon choir shred kelly david celia the good ol goats devon coyote and the midnight hhowl portage and main and more TBA

AUGUST 9-10 2013

wapitimusicfestival.com

Above is our letterpressed printed poster designed & hand-set by Clawhammer Press in Fernie, BC. To see the process, go to www.clawhammer.ca

Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013 69

festivals: august Salt Spring Island’s Annual Fall Fair Sept 14th & 15th Saltspring Island, BC

Much loved by young and old, locals and tourists alike, the annual Fall Fair is Salt Spring Island’s oldest community event, and the one with the most heart!

saltspringmarket.com/salt_spring_island/fallfair.htm

Pender Harbour Jazz Festival Sept 20th - 22nd Pender Harbour, BC

All styles of jazz from swing to Latin to gypsy to straight ahead to fusion and more. Many events are FREE.

penderharbourmusic.ca/jazz-festival

Earth Dance Victoria Sept 21st Victoria, BC

Festival for Peace and multi-location charity event in alignment with the United Nations International Day of Peace on September 21. More than an entertainment event, Earthdance is an international network of communities coming together locally and connecting globally to deliver real solutions for peace, sustainability, and social justice.

International: earthdance.org Vancouver: earthdance.ca VancouverIsland: earthdancevictoria.com

Similkameen Sizzle Pepper Festival

Decibel Festival Sept 25th - 29th Seattle, WA

Decibel International Festival of Electronic Music Performance, Visual Art and New Media. With a focus on live performance, interactive multimedia art, state-of-the-art sound and technology based education, Decibel one of the premier electronic music festivals and promotional organizations in the world.

dbfestival.com

Accordion Extravaganza

Sept 21st Keremeos, BC

Canada’s only Hot Pepper Festival. Harvest festival of peppers with entertainment, a Hot Pepper Eating Contest, children’s games, vendors & artisans, a beer garden and more, plus live entertainment.

ttpsoftware.com/sizzlesite

Sept 27th - 29th Edmonton, AB

The Edmonton Accordion Society promotes accordion music in all forms, and produces this years event to foster a link between the many cultures that feature the accordion as a folk instrument.

edmontonaccordion.com

Earthdance coordinates the annual Global

Pleased to support arts & cultural events in Merritt and the Nicola Valley

May 11 Lobster fest & dance fundraiser hosted by Rotary Club at the Civic Centre. For more info contact Jacqueline Nind at 250-378-5613 or jmnind@hotmail.ca

café and gallery

The is your meeting place for great local music, delicious food & sumptuous drinks.

Apr 4 – Jul 1, 2013 ArtWalk 2013 is coming this summer. This inaugural event is brought to you by the City of Merritt, the Chamber of Commerce and the NVCAC. ArtWalk provides an opportunity to develop a partnership between local businesses and their customers, visitors and the Nicola Valley’s creative community. Individual artists and artist associations are encouraged to market and promote themselves in highly visible venues and local businesses. The event runs from July 1st to August 5th, 2013. June 8 Scott Woods Band - Swingin’ Fiddlers Multiple winner of the Canadian Open and Grand Masters Fiddle Contests, Scott Woods and his band bring alive the music of the 30’s, 40’s and 50’s in this two hour uplifting old time show. Civic Centre. Box 9 2090 Granite Ave, Merritt BC V1K 1B8 250 378 4241 | merrittherald.com

r Full Breakfast r Lunch & Sunday Brunch Specials r Open for Dinner Thursday - Saturday r Free WiFi See the website calendar for details on live entertainment.

Downtown Courtenay on the corner of 5th & Cliffe The Zocalo on Facebook | 250-331-0933 www.zocalocafe.ca

70 Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013 Zocalo quarter 97.indd 1

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festivals: august kaslosufferfest.com

Stony Plain Cowboy Poetry Festival Sept 28th Stony Plain, AB

This gathering is a legendary historical tribute to cowboy poetry, music & art.

stonyplaincowboypoetry.com

BreakOut West Festival Oct 3rd - 6th Calgary, AB

Over 50 of Western Canada’s finest performers and over 350 music industry leaders & delegates from all over the world made their way to Calgary for The

Oct 17th - 27th Sechelt, BC

breakoutwest.ca

This year’s festival will continue to push artistic boundaries, expanding existing programs while continuing to support local artists in all genres with professional style showcases, concerts, workshops and exhibits.

Trail’s End Gathering Oct 4th - 6th High River, AB

A showcase of talent from the Alberta Cowboy Poetry Association.

albertacowboypoetry.com

secheltartsfestival.com

Sunshine Coast Culture Crawl

City Arts Festival

Oct 18th - 20th Sunshine Coast, BC

Oct 16th - 19th Seattle, WA

The Art Crawl offered Crawlers access to 110 participating galleries and art studios, representing over 275 artists along the entire Sunshine Coast Highway from Langdale to Lund or Lund to Langdale. We invite Crawlers to come, meet the artists and experience the vibrant arts and culture community on the Sunshine Coast.

A curated collection of music and arts events turned downtown Seattle into your playground for 4 days and nights. It was an epic weekend of Arts Adventures, Cultural Tours and Music.

cityartsfest.com

suncoastarts.com/profiles/artcrawl

Featuring: The Wailin Jennys, Oliver Mtukudzi (Zimbabwe), Alan Kelly Gang (Ireland), Fred Penner & much more!

35N

O S A I R R R TS 2013 AH 14 ANNUAL

Annual mountain bike race, run and kids races too. Various locations and times. Check website for details.

Sechelt Arts Festival

FEST

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ARTS UAL & VIS NCE E,DA EATR IC,TH MUS N OF ATIO LEBR A CE

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Sept 27th - 29th Kaslo, BC

BreakOut West Festival & Conference. The weekend also included the main event The Western Canadian Music Awards.

OF T

Kaslo Sufferfest

EVENING CONCERTS MUSIC ON THE BEACH ART MARKET • ART EXHIBIT CHILDREN’S DAY • WORKSHOPS

FESTIVAL INFO 604 796 3664

HARRISONFESTIVAL.COM

Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013 71

orchestar slivovica: balkan street brass By Dave O Rama Being the voracious music addict that I am, the musical heritage of the Romany people has certainly not escaped my attention. One of my favourite investigations of Roma culture, which I saw on its release in 1993, is the documentary film Latcho Drom. Directed by Tony Gatlif, Latcho Drom follows the migratory path of the Roma people out of Rajasthan, through the Middle East and into various parts of Europe. I also received my initial education in Balkan brass band music cinematically through the films of Serbian director Emir Kusturica and his long time musical collaborator Goran Bregovic. In Kusturica’s films Roma brass bands follow many of his main characters around like a royal musical entourage providing bombastic accompaniment to both the comedic and the tragic. Bitten by the Balkan brass bug, this form of music has become quite common within the broad mix of my radio show programming. So, it warms my heart to find out that local Balkan brass collective Orkestar Slivovica were inspired to form after one of its members happened to come across this style of music being played on college radio station Village 900 (now

Orkestar Slivovica brass section. photo Jesse Whitehead

defunct) while working on a job in Victoria. Named after the popular European plum brandy Slivovitz, but using the Slovak spelling that is actually pronounced Slivovitsa, Orkestar Slivovica is a 13-piece Balkan style brass band based in Vancouver, BC. The band was started by saxophonist Oliver Sutton very soon after he had chanced upon the music of Serbian trumpet master Boban Markovic on the Victoria airwaves. Sutton’s reaction to this unfamiliar sound was immediate and profound. “I was blown away by this music. And at the time I was very frustrated with the band I was playing in, and I was looking for something new. It just hit me right away. This is the music I am playing next.” Within a couple of months Sutton and his wife, Orkestar Slivovica percussionist Kristina Zalite, had booked their flights to the Guca trumpet festival (Dragačevo Assembly) in western Serbia where they discovered hundreds of thousands of people in

attendance and more than two hundred bands, from the best in the world to groups made up of small children. “Many of these kids playing for tips were actually better than many of the bands in North America playing this style of music!” Sutton exclaims. Known also as Trubaci (meaning the trumpeters) Sutton explains that “this form of music most likely originates during the Ottoman Empire where these rhythms and scales were played for weddings and other events on reed instruments called Zurna, which are known to be over a thousand years old.” It is believed that this style of music was then “applied to brass band instruments by the Roma people who commonly performed in military brass bands.” Then it was mixed with the local Serbian and Macedonian folkloric music “and a tradition developed which is now being played by both Roma and non Roma people in various parts of Europe.” Starting with just five members, Orkestar Slivovica’s membership grew very quickly as other Vancouver musicians became entranced by this unfamiliar sound. Sutton admits that at the beginning they “dumbed the music down because it is very difficult to play.” Yet a passion for taking the music to the streets in true Balkan brass band style has helped the members of the group develop their chops considerably. But for Orkestar Slivovica the immersion doesn’t stop there. They have also been active in presenting their own Balkan music festival in Vancouver for the past five years, originally booking local Balkan style bands, then evolving to the point where they have been able to bring in some of the experts from various parts of Europe. With a late April tour of the BC island communities called the Balkan Wedding Caravan, Orkestar Slivovica will be joined by Serbian musicians Demiran and Novica Cerimovic, a father and son team who will then be performing at the band’s annual Ederlezi Balkan Brass Festival on May 3rd and 4th in Vancouver. An event that will also feature Macedonian brass legends Kocani Orkestar. Not only is it impressive that Sutton is bringing such Balkan heavyweights to North America but he says that having his band perform with these brass masters improves their skills tremendously, and “after only two weeks playing with Demiran and Novica last year we were phenomenally better.” Sutton also explains that to master this complex music, “we use special Eastern European instruments with very fast valves so you can control the instruments with very fast finger movements.” Orkestar Slivovica released their debut CD last year called Ziveli!, the recording of which required a special approach. “We made a conscious decision not to multi-track and to instead record it live. It can be very difficult to go through an entire take with thirteen people and not have someone make a mistake. It’s similar to herding cats. But after hearing multi-tracked recordings of really great bands we felt that it sounded dead, and we didn’t want to lose that energy.” This summer Orkestar Slivovica will be bringing that energy to a number of festival events including ArtsWells Festival Of All Things Art, taking place August 2nd to August 5th in Wells and Barkerville, BC. You can find out more about Orkestar Slivovica and their annual Ederlezi Balkan Brass Festival at orkestarslivovica.org.

72 Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013

The Maeve Lily School verb: Practice a musical instrument. Where do you make music? Tell us about it! woodshedding@bcmusicianmag.com

The Maeve Lily School of Music was opened in 2010 as an alternative to the many rock-based schools in the South Okanagan area. The school was named after Tammy’s granddaughter, Maeve Lily, who died at birth July 2008. Sensing a need for a more girl friendly environment, owner Tammy Lomin wanted to offer a fun and creative place for students looking to explore song writing, singing, guitar and recording in a more relaxed setting. The objective was not to exclude boys; rather it was to offer something other than the standard, often male focused, rock fare. She hired three female guitarists/singer songwriters, Aidan Mayes, Maiya Robbie and Mandy

Cole. These amazingly talented women serve as role models for girls who dream big. The school also has its resident male rock star, Tim Holman. Tim not only teaches a variety of guitar methods, but also offers in depth theory lessons for anyone wanting to move in that direction. The recording studio was set up as a learning tool for students and teachers. While it is not open to the general public we have assisted our students and teachers with many of their recording endeavors. Tammy’s daughter Amanda Bentley, a Toronto producer, offers her expertise with recording projects for the songwriting students interested in

Penticton, BC recording demos. We are in the process of hiring a recording engineer for the fall, to not only assist the students, but to also teach anyone interested in recording lessons. The school has two recitals a year where the kids get to perform their own music in a real life setting. Opus Café and Hillside Winery have opened their doors to the school to set up sound and lighting…letting the kids perform live, some for the first time, in a noncompetitive environment. Our young songwriters continue to amaze us with their talents, writing songs about everything from a dead pet fish to composting and saving the environment.

Below left: Maiya Robbie with a young student. Below right: Tammy Lomin with instructor Aidan Mayes. photos contributed.

Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013 73

emerging electronica festivals: By Jason Guille In the world of electronic music, BC festival goers have always been a rather blessed bunch. From the small & sacred to the sizeable & savage, BC dance-music festivals offer a tremendous variety of participatory environments & seductive soundscapes. Long before they become the magical multiday monsters we spend the whole year either reflecting on or impatient for, the electronic music festival begins simply as an idea – or collection of ideas – within what often begins as a small, impassioned and visionary group of mad scientists. The diversity of interests & intentions of the festival organizers themselves always show up in the events as well, some manifesting as mystical family-oriented gatherings of great reverence & intention, others as committed multiday ragers more known for hormones than harmonies. Said another way - there’s really something for EVERYONE. This holds true with events that have grown to a certain size as well. BC’s famous (and award-winning!) Shambhala Music Festival (Salmo BC, Aug 7 - 12, www.shambhalamu-

mational Festival”. It might be said that the transformational festival is the evolution of the “intentional festival”, an event philosophy centered around co-creation, community stewardship, participatory ritual, knowledge sharing and the tried & true principals of peace, love, unity & respect! The Transformational Festival is really a cultural experiment; a collective emerging vision not only of what dance culture is today, but of the many possible futures foreseeable within the symbiotic relationship of music, celebration & progressive community development. Though perhaps too young to have a broadly agreed definition, some of the common elements of a transformational festival include scheduled workshops & conversations covering a broad cross-section of new paradigm content, shared ecstatic dance ritual to electronic dance music, co-created & participant-generated environments, the integration of visionary live, projected digital & performance art & installations as well as ritualistic performance & ceremony. For the uninitiated, this might sound like some of that

Above left: On the Cusp 2013. photo Evan Boyd Photography. Above right: Full Moon Masquerade. photo Eye of the Mind.

sicfestival.com), for example, now sits well in excess of 10,000 annual attendees. With so many co-creators, independently managed stages & numerous self-managed zones & offerings, the polarities of available experience are mind-boggling! One moment you are deep in the woods off the Labyrinth stage meandering through the water temple and receiving a healing from an indigenous elder, the next moment you are a packed like sardines with 5000 fellow frenzied sweaty dance maniacs being body-wobbled by the biggest sound system on the west coast. I highly recommend you try both. Like all great socially-driven creations, festival culture continues to reinvent itself as an ever-evolving reflection of the wants & needs of our communities. Nowhere is this more prominent than in the current blossoming of the “Transfor-

ever-popular and fluff-filled new-age mumbo jumbo. However, this new paradigm of gatherings is not only very real, it is evolving quickly and being propelled by some of the most powerful visionaries & community builders in North America. Its emergence is the natural outcome of an awakening population, hungry for connection, contribution and a deeper experience of their own consciousness. The transformative nature of the new festival experience continues to draw attention from media makers from inside and outside the culture as well. From A.C. Johner’s 2011 ethnographic documentary ‘Electronic Awakening’ (www. electronicawakening.com) to the stunning 2013 four-part documentary series ‘The Bloom’ (www.thebloomseries.com), we are repeatedly drawn to explore & shine a spotlight on the dramatic ongoing evolution of intentional festival culture and

76 Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013

from small & sacred to sizeable & savage (lower Vancouver Island, July 12-14). Described as ‘A Pacific Northwest Visionary Music Festival’, the new festival will feature 2 cutting edge audio-visual stages, a visionary art lounge, workshops & presentations, interactive art installations and a community vendors market. Though not predominantly electronica in nature, the debut of the very elaborate ‘Believe Freedom Festival’ (Whistler BC, July 11-15, believefreedomfestival.com) certainly warrants musical notice and with a homepage espousing the nature and value of ‘universal consciousness’ we are very excited to partake in this exciting new event. As both the music & methodology of this new festival experience continues to evolve from seed to bloom, one thing remains ever constant – the community that creates & partakes in these gatherings make it what it is, and I wish you an amazing festival season of exploration, contribution, contemplation and of course... celebration! For those wanting to explore a broader representation of available west coast festivals, you can explore the Sunset Labs 2013 West Coast Festival Schedule at www.sunsetlabs.ca/2013-festival-schedule

www.facebook.com/AdHoc Penticton www.adhocpenticton.blogspot.ca 446 main st, penticton 778-476-5545

its potential for life-changing impacts. One very powerful demonstration of this new festival model is Bass Coast Project (Merritt BC, Aug2-5, www. basscoast.ca). Founded in 2009 by three very activated west coast women, Bass Coast communicates its vision as ‘To contemplate, to educate, to innovate and to CREATE! This is our festival. This is our coast. This is our Culture’. Packed full of group yoga, collaborative art, workshops for brain & body and observing one of the most committed green policies of any festival in BC’s history the prospect of having a ‘transformational experience’ doesn’t require much imagination. Bass Coast’s continued commitment to its community warrants our gratitude and with any luck, our modelling. This summer BC will see the arrival of a new gathering of kindred spirit with the birth of the family-friendly ‘Luminosity’

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On the Cusp 2013. photo Evan Boyd Photography.

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Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013 77

mental etchings of the barnes creek fair By Meaghan Cursons kind. He toured the horse racing circuit in a big green bus and A google search of the Barnes Creek Country Fair bought used leather shoes to fix up and sell at flea markets. He brings up...well...nothing. Neither does a search through my gave me his surplus inventory that year and I sold them for $1 dads photo collection. But it is definitely the earliest festival a pair. I had hundreds and hundreds of shoes...I think. I traded etching on my consciousness. Vivid and imperfect memories leather shoes with the women from Guatemala for beautiful from age 6 to 9 that continue to influence me. little woven bags filled with worry dolls. The Fair was just a few miles up the trapping trail (Upper My black and white puppy Cisco came from the Barnes Coates Road) from the property my parents bought in the Creek Country Fair. I found him next to the beer garden nosing Watchan Lake area in the early 70’s (aka The Land). We spent around in the sawdust. I thought he was starving. He belonged summers there from ‘76 to ‘83 (and lived there for a few years to a big burly biker and I got to take him home. too). That weekend each summer was the busiest we ever saw The Oregon Country Fair is the closest thing to the Barnes Watchan Lake Road. A cavalcade of VW buses, vans, trucks, Creek Fair that I’ve experienced since. I went in 1993 and had motocycles paraded along the gravel road, stopping to swim naked at the Hippy Hole. Then they’d double back over the log- an amazing time. I think I’ve been on a quest to find (or recreate) that kind of energy ever since. Wells has this energy. ging bridge at the river and head off to the fairgrounds. I’ve heard Diversity does too, although they’re taking a year off. I think it was a “Renaissance Fair”. I remember hippies, farmI love the part of festivals that feels like a messy, imperfect, ers, bikers and gypsies. I remember funky wood structures and colourful, exotic market on the crossroads of cultures. This part wood water flumes. There was lots of dust and dirty feet. And of festivals has been ‘scrubbed away’ by white 10x10 pop ups, smoke - food, cigarettes and pot. I wonder if it was a rodeo health regulations, liquor laws and insurance considerations. grounds or something before? Or was it a Mennonite settleIt’s a double edged evolution. We might be a bit safer....but I’m ment? Or perhaps it was carved out of the wilderness by the fair folks themselves. There was music too. Although to be hon- pretty sure we’re not having quite as much fun. Last winter our old cabin at The Land burned to the ground. est the music was secondary. I remember Valdy and a big sing It was a tangible link to this time and I’m sorry our daughter along of “Play Me a Rock and Roll Song”, mostly because mom won’t get to hang out there. This summer as we tour around was really excited about it. I remember sunset and feeling like in our 1980 Westie we’re gonna raise a glass to the cabin, the it was all very magical. Barnes Creek Fair and the wild and wooly fairs that are the real One year my dad decided to do a homemade lemon aid foundation of BC’s rich festival scene. Cheers! booth and he made it by hand (we hauled well water at The Land) with fresh lemons and raw honey. It was very sticky and messy. We shared the booth with friends who sold popcorn with Engivita Yeast and Dr Bronner’s Protein Salt. I served for hours at the counter, loving being a vendor! At dusk I hit the wall and got deliriously over tired. I wouldn’t quit serving. I felt ‘stoned’ - my first festival altered consciousness. I remember finding a big stash of money under the sound booth. More than I had ever seen before. It could have been gate revenues or other proceeds. I returned it with Mom. They were beyond grateful. Another year (or was it the same one?) I talked myself into a paid gig shucking corn for the Bare Bottom Burger Booth. $3/hr. Some how I was promoted to burger grill...standing on a milk crate. The Burger Booth was a blue octogon. The people who ran it were really fun. Ronnie and Cuz. Another year I ran my very own booth selling re-conditioned shoes provided by my Great Uncle Fred. Sketch by dad, Dave Cursons, in lieu of an actual photo record of the event.... Uncle Fred was a gypsy of a different

78 Ultimate Summer Festival Guide | May - June 2013

ADRIAN GLYNN

LES

MISERABLES

FUNNY,

IN CONCERT WITH PRINCE GEORGE PLAYHOUSE JULY 6 8:00 PM

CHARMING & SHOCKINGLY BRILLIANT…! JULY 10 8 PM

HELLO BABY BY LUCAS MYERS

FOR ANYONE WHO IS A GOING TO BE A DAD, IS A DAD, HAS A DAD OR KNOWS A DAD! JULY 19 & 20 8:00 PM

Historic Wells, BC Summer 2013

BEN SURES FRESH,

BY THE

SUNSET THEATRE DRAMA SCHOOL JULY 25, 26, 27 & 28 8:00 pm

A TRIUBITE TO THE MAN, HIS SPIRIT AND HIS SONG

INVITING, INSIGHTFUL FOLK MUSIC JULY 24 8:00 PM

“TBA” PERFORMANCB

STOMP’N TOM FESTIVAL

FRED

PENNER “GROWN-UP SHOW” JULY 31 8:00 pm

HARP

CONCERT SUNSET CABARET WHERE COMEDY, TRAGEDY, COMMUNITY

SPIRIT AND A TASTE OF THE

JUNE 28, 29, 30 & JULY 1 VARIOUS TIMES

TOGETHER FOR

PLEASE CHECK PROGRAM

AN EVENING OF

SUBLIME COME

PURE

ARTS WELLS

UNADULTERATED

ALL THINGS ART AUGUST 2, 3, 4 & 5

AUGUST 10 8 PM

FUN

WITH

ALYS HOWE, SHARLENE WALLACE & SUNITA STANESLOW AUGUST 14 7:30 PM

STAY TUNED, MORE TO COME...

VARIOUS TIMES, AND LOCATIONS PLEASE CHECK PROGRAM

PROGRAMMING AT TIME OF PRINT - FOR UPDATED LISTINGS, EVENTS & RENTAL INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT US ON-LINE OR CALL WWW.SUNSET-THEATRE.COM | 250-994-3400 | 2357 POOLEY STREET , WELLS BC