Music and art-making are the big attractions at the third annual Sechelt Arts Festival coming up July 29 to Aug. 7. Though the word "family" is no longer in the description of the festival, it is still very much about families. All ages can participate and most events are free.
An exhibition and sale of local artists' work at the Seaside Centre from Aug. 2 to 8 will be open to the public. Several artists, Jane Ford, Cody Chancellor and Yzabelle Delisle Milton, will lead workshops for various age groups from little ones through to teens and adults. Ford is excited by the generous sponsorship for these activities. An RBC educational grant and contributions from art supply stores, Opus and One-O-One Office Supplies, allowed the festival to provide interesting art materials. For example, one of Milton's workshops -for eight to 10 year olds on Saturday, Aug. 5 - will use dye-coloured rice paper, torn and glued, to make Japanese style chigiri-e. Other age groups will work with mosaics and acrylics or watercolour. The workshops are free; no registration is necessary. They are open to the first 20 kids per workshop who arrive at the Seaside Centre tent.
Cody Chancellor's comic strip art is more suitable to teens 14 years and older and will be offered on Sunday, August 6, from 9 a.m. to noon. Ford's watercolour workshop will explore the experimental use of big and medium brushes on wood panel. It is also for 14 years and up and is offered on Monday, Aug. 7, from noon to 4 p.m.The music kicks off on July 29 and 30 in a related event, the District of Sechelt's 50th anniversary party at the airport, featuring local bands such as Joe Stanton and the Precious Littles, Local Traffic with Laura Jean Hogan, Celso Machado, Drums and Wires and the funky finger style guitar sounds of Steve K. Other acts include singer/songwriter Janet Panic, who has been described by the Vancouver Courier as producing "electro lounge ditties," local reggae roots artist Randeesh and Fat Fish Creek. On Saturday afternoon, local musician Blaine Dunaway is organizing a jazz jam.
Admission to the grounds is covered in a $10 ticket for Saturday and a $15 ticket for Sunday. Early bird tickets cover both days for $20. Tickets are at some usual outlets and at Gilligan's Pub in Sechelt, Chevron Gas in Gibsons and Oak Tree Market in Pender Harbour. Bring your own chairs and umbrellas. Food and water vendors will be on site.Other big name attractions will also appear: Juno-nominated country singer Lisa Brokop, Canadian rock icons Trooper, the eclectic Kinnie Starr and three women from Vancouver who sing folk, blues and country bluegrass, the Be Good Tanyas.
If all day concerts are not your style, the Sechelt Arts Festival has lined up other talent. On the weekend of Aug. 5 and 6, a mix of musical styles will perform in the Arts Centre from 1 to 4 p.m. Audiences can hear classical, folk, jazz and blues from the likes of Gemini, Gaetan Bergevin and the Tuesday Chamber Players. Local youth talent will also be dropping in.
Val Anderson of the Creek Big Band invites everyone to bring their dancing shoes to the Seniors Centre in Sechelt starting at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 4. The 19-piece big band, under the direction of Blaine Dunaway for the summer season, will deliver old-fashioned swing, Latin and jazz numbers suitable for ballroom twirling. Admission is free. A cash bar will be open.
Check out Coast Reporter's Arts Festival section on pages C13 to C16 for times and dates for all events.
