The many facets that make up the unique culture of the Kootenay region — in particular food, music, art, and heritage — were the inspiration for a new festival set to take place this weekend, just up the valley.
On Saturday, the inaugural Kootenay Festival will take place across the highway from the airport in Castlegar, in an outdoor setting adjacent to the Columbia River, slightly downstream from its confluence with the Kootenay River. Organizers plan to erect two stages along the east bank of the Columbia to showcase the range of musical talent found in this region.
The main stage will be flanked on one side by the Doukhobor Discovery Centre and on the other by the Village Bistro, serving traditional Doukhobor food and giving visitors the chance to experience the flavour of the area’s Russian heritage in more ways than one. A variety of outdoor food vendors will also bring dishes from the Kootenays’ Portuguese, Greek, Metis, Filipino and other diverse communities.
Invitations have been sent out to artists across the East and West Kootenays, asking them to not only bring their works to the festival but also to come ready to share their techniques and tricks of the trade. The plan is to set up interactive displays and informal workshops where festival-goers can try their hands at various creative forms, with some professional guidance.
The festival will be a family event with activities geared towards people of all ages, including some nods to the younger crowd with things like a Battle of the DJs contest. Full details are available online at: www.kootenayfestival.com.
The inaugural event will be just one day, but organizers hope to eventually turn it into an annual celebration spanning a full weekend.
If you have some time to check it out, it should be worth the drive. The Kootenay Festival runs from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday.
On Saturday, the inaugural Kootenay Festival will take place across the highway from the airport in Castlegar, in an outdoor setting adjacent to the Columbia River, slightly downstream from its confluence with the Kootenay River. Organizers plan to erect two stages along the east bank of the Columbia to showcase the range of musical talent found in this region.
The main stage will be flanked on one side by the Doukhobor Discovery Centre and on the other by the Village Bistro, serving traditional Doukhobor food and giving visitors the chance to experience the flavour of the area’s Russian heritage in more ways than one. A variety of outdoor food vendors will also bring dishes from the Kootenays’ Portuguese, Greek, Metis, Filipino and other diverse communities.
Invitations have been sent out to artists across the East and West Kootenays, asking them to not only bring their works to the festival but also to come ready to share their techniques and tricks of the trade. The plan is to set up interactive displays and informal workshops where festival-goers can try their hands at various creative forms, with some professional guidance.
The festival will be a family event with activities geared towards people of all ages, including some nods to the younger crowd with things like a Battle of the DJs contest. Full details are available online at: www.kootenayfestival.com.
The inaugural event will be just one day, but organizers hope to eventually turn it into an annual celebration spanning a full weekend.
If you have some time to check it out, it should be worth the drive. The Kootenay Festival runs from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday.