Horsefly’s incredibly popular summertime festival, Arts on the Fly, is going full steam ahead with its eighth annual festival coming up this weekend, says event committee member Pharis Patenaude.
There is a full schedule of performances and events Friday evening, July 12, and all day Saturday, July 13.
Growing from a single day festival in 2006, the festival now attracts audiences from across Western Canada and beyond, with acts from around the world coming to this small beautiful town, Patenaude says.
Friday night opens at 6:30 p.m. with a special opening ceremony and continues with a full night of entertainment.
Saturday gates open at 12 p.m. with local acts and continues until late night with entertaining and danceable bands.
This year’s festival includes the sublime early jazz trio the Company B Jazz Band (Vancouver), the groovy polyrhythms of DRUMHAND (Toronto), the funky rootsy Dixieland sounds of The F-Holes (Winnipeg), African drumming troupe Kunda (Guinea/Sunshine Coast), songster/balladeers Scott Cook (Edmonton) and Ben Rogers and the Black Oats (Vancouver), blues funksters Apollo Cruz (Saskatoon), gypsy jazz folkies
The Rakish Angles (Gibsons) the soulful R&B of High Society (Vancouver) and the reggae rhythms of Third Branch (Edmonton).
It also includes local favourites Sam and Rowan, Marin Patenaude, and Pharis and Jason Romero.
Both days will showcase “tweener” acts primarily by local and regional youth.
Saturday will also feature an all-acoustic stage where many of the performers who are on the main stage will get a chance to play in an intimate setting for a listening audience.
Festival goers can take part in workshops (songwriting, singing, dancing and more), wander through the food and wares vendors market, enjoy a delicious meal by chef Martin Comtois, or bring the young ones to Saturday’s Kids’ Zone.
The Kids’ Zone this year will run most of the day Saturday, with workshops where kids can make a hulahoop, recycled key mobiles and windchimes, or enjoy a nature walk and nature-inspired crafts with guest presenters the Scout Island Nature Centre.
Advance tickets are available online at www.artsonthefly.com/tickets.html, in Horsefly at Clarke’s General Store, or in Williams Lake at the Bean Counter.
Children 12 and under are welcomed free to the festival, and there are special discounted rates for youth (13-18) and seniors (65-plus).
For more information or to volunteer at the festival, please call 250-620-0592, email pharisromero@gmail.com or visit www.artsonthefly.com.