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Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Record crowds of 15,000+ attend SunFest Biggest ever: Peaceful, safe, rockabilly blast ignited by dedicated volunteers, vigilant security and family atmosphere on Cowichan Exhibition grounds Peter W. Rusland
News Leader Pictorial
R
ecord crowds, committed volunteers, and vigilant security made SunFest 11 Cowichan’s biggest festival in history. “Sunday was sold out for the first time ever, with all the walk-ups (ticket sales),” spokeswoman Charlotte Fisher said, pegging attendance at 15,000plus during the four-day event on Cowichan Exhibition grounds. Fisher applauded a basically troublefree festival thanks to this year’s hiring of a private security firm to keep order in a series of fenced areas. “The RCMP did a great job too; fantastic,” she said. Roadside check stops along the lsland Highway at night were relatively quiet, one officer told the News Leader Pictorial. He suspected fan awareness has hit home about not drinking and driving, but camping at CowEx grounds where a town of campsites was packed. Fisher also raved about SunFest’s army of volunteers that steered everything from information and tickets to parking. There was even a yellow-clad crossing guard helping folks over the highway. “Our volunteers are absolute rockstars,” she said. SunFest’s clockwork helped spring as-yet untallied proceeds on valley charities. Judging by whopping 50-50 draws, various groups should be grinning. “The MS Society did great on with 50-50s, raising thousands of dollars.” Sunday’s take was more than $15,000, with half going to the society. Meanwhile, next year’s headliner hasn’t been announced. “There’s something in the works,” Fisher said, agreeing the musical bar was raised its highest yet with superstar gentleman Alan Jackson’s Sunday show.
He and his eight-piece Strayhorns’ band charmed the crowd with various singalong hits including It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere, Chattahoochee, Mercury Blues, and Pop A Top, Little Bitty, and many others while movie footage of Jackson was screened on a stage-side jumbo monitor. Jackson clearly felt at home during his first island visit — he tossed swag and guitar picks into the crowd, and even let some fans dance on the stage during his finale. But Jackson wasn’t the only musical action during a weekend boasting twodozen acts spanning locals to Canadian talent on the main and Saloon Stages. Cloudy weather, and some rain, cooled the yawning site, but not the spirits of fans who came from Europe and beyond for their country fix. And with the Merritt Mountain Festival scrubbed this year, some looked to Cowichan for their western fun. Unlike some other events based on booze, SunFest remains a family festival founded on safe times and good tunes for everyone — including challenged folks — while still offering beverage gardens. CowEx brass receive SunFest proceeds to help maintain their sweeping grounds under the gaze of Mount Prevost. SunFest has become a watercolour world of country kids, Frisbee tossing, tattooed fans, denim, Bud Girls, Rockstar energy drinks, lawn chairs, extravagant cowpoke outfits, and polite lineups for port-a-potties and food to suds. Fans who ignored advice about drinking plenty of water, and wearing earplugs, may have paid the price. Still, SunFest is now in the big-time festival saddle — and Wideglide Entertainment has a delightfully tough act to follow for next year’s event. Folks looking for lost items can email info@sunfestconcerts.com. For more on the festival, see Pages 16 and 18.
Andrew Leong
Headliner Alan Jackson wowed the crowd as the SunFest 2013 headliner. Organizers have set the bar high now by attracting entertainers the likes of internationally-acclaimed Jackson. Left, crowds packed the stage area throughout the long weekend for a close-up glimpse of the performers. The demise of the Merritt Mountain Music Festival, temporarily at least, has been a boon for Cowichan’s country festival.
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