Punjabi and South Indian dancers will take to the stage in Boitanio Park Aug. 8 as part of the Performances in the Park (PiP) series.
For the sixth of the PiP series, some Punjabi dancers as well as some South Indian performers will perform Bhangra dances to the rhythms of Dohl drums, to "power the energetic footwork and extensive flourishes" of traditional folk dance and more.
Bringing something a little different to Performances in the Park was done in partnership with Mayor Surinderpal Rathor, but he credits Venta Rutkauskas, coordinator of PiP, with sparking the idea.
Rathor said at the end of last year's PiP series, having attended them all, Rutkauskas spoke with him about the possibility of having some Indian performers for this year.
He suggested Bhangra dance and reached out to some dancers he knew and has also since connected with a couple in the community who perform South Indian music and dance.
"Canada being a mosaic and a multicultural society, I thought this would fit perfectly in," he said.
So the Aug. 8 event will feature both local performers as well as some from Abbotsford.
"I'm looking forward to it," said Rathor, who attends every PiP he can as part of his efforts to promote Williams Lake cultural events.
Opening up the Thursday evening performance will be Mike Edel, whose "universal pop-folk sound that features a pulse of optimism, even when wrestling with life’s toughest subject matter - loss, love, even death" according to the PiP promo.
"Mike’s voice is just so good, and he’s celebrating the act of singing and performing every day since his shocking stroke in 2021," states PiP.
Catch both acts for free on Aug. 8 on the Glen Ringwood Stage starting at 6 p.m. until about 8 p.m.
With only two more PiP acts after this one, bring a chair or a picnic blanket to Boitanio Park to get in your summer fun while you still can.
