39 Days of July 2024

Artistic Director’s Message

   Here we are again, doing what no other community anywhere else does. Present 39 days in a row of live entertainment, daily from noon till 8pm in the park on the VITALS Stage and then another 39 concerts in 34 days on the City Square Stage. All done to prove we do live in   ‘a rather fun place to be’

 I have done my best to continue to: find touring acts from afar / utilize the bevy of musicians calling other parts of Vancouver Island home /as well making sure there is room to showcase some of our valley talent.

   That process of selection takes about 6 months to manifest itself into to the 357 slots of eclectic / diverse performances this year. Many of those who have been on our festival stage previously ask to return. Many of the performers chosen have been on our radar since performing at the Duncan Showroom in the last year. Then the there are those who have heard of this amazing festival from friends who have played here and then send in their applications. I can only hope that whenever you might choose to have a sit down and partake in these ‘free’ concerts, my programming suits as many people as possible  

 This year in City Square, the Walkabout Wednesdays will be more for a listening audience where singer/songwriters and the delivery of their lyrics mean as much if not more than the groove. Yes, on Fridays and Saturdays in the City Square there are danceable bands scheduled where the groove is the thang you wants. As a matter of fact there are some Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays - oh, and a Thursday or two where we trust that you will bring along your dancing shoes and bust some moves

 And in the Charles Hoey Memorial Park there is once again the Lunch in the Park Series where at noon/1pm/2pm there showcases of mostly island performers / Teacher -Student Showcases take place at 3pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays / Wednesdays at 3pm has open mic - open stage where only 8 slots are available each week so sign up asap - young entertainers welcome. Then daily at 4pm/5pm/6pm/7pm there is  Showcase Mondays, Blues on Tuesdays, Welcoming Wednesdays, Thoughtful Thursdays, Funday Fridays, Sociable Saturdays and Specialty Sundays  where various artists perform that which is thought you should take note of . There are many singer-songwriter showcases in the park again this year that the request that you listen to the performer’s deliveries as if in a theatre of sorts is immensely appreciated (personal conversations going on beside those that are intently listening to the performance is in fact a faux pas, so to speak) But do take notice that there are musicians in our scheduling who encourage everyone to dance and it is the festival wishes that when requested you join in as often as possible

Here is the deal- it is all broken down further in this book so read it over and over till you know who you feel you must see – circle those concerts that must attend and do take some chances- I made sure it will be worth it  

Enjoy, please

To remind parents /grandparents that the opportunity is offered, in a beautiful community setting, to teach children the value of the reverence required / requested during a performers time on stage.  

PS. thanks to VITALS (Valley Integration To Active Living Society) for the sponsorship in the naming of the stage in the park for two years in a row, also for stepping forward and covering the rental costs of the tent that covers the VITALS Stage this year

A Gift not a Given

 I started this 39 day festival when I was a young 60 years of age and yes, the years do catch up as does the health. A removal of the world’s second largest (14cm) calcium oxalate from my bladder two years ago / a shingles attack in November 2023 / the removal of 2/3 of my liver ( 13.5 cm tumour ) and partial diaphragm in mid April of this year all remind me of my mortality. But does that stop me or our crew? ‘Upon seeing light at the end of the tunnel, we order more tunnel’

The reason I bring this up is that it must be remembered this festival is a gift not a given. Enjoy it like it is the last, take in as much as you can, listen to the artists on stage with supreme attentiveness and dance with abandonment whenever the chance arises.

 And know the monies that are necessary to accomplish all that is done does come from various sources.  There are some grants we receive, but not nearly enough dough to manifest a festival of this magnitude. There are sponsors who step up at the beginning and sometimes even in the middle of the festival and generously donate. There are those businesses that support the festival by taking out ads in the schedule program, they are precious and we ask you to support them whenever you can. Mostly we depend on the audiences’ financial participation when the ‘hat’ comes around. It always has been a throw of the dice, trusting in the universe that all the overhead will be.

you know, some say  ‘if you are treading on thin ice, you might as well dance’