As some travellers venture down the Sunshine Coast or to Vancouver Island for the Labour Day long weekend, many Powell River area residents choose to mark the end of their summer season at Sunshine Music Festival. The event takes place at Palm Beach Regional Park on Saturday, September 2, and Sunday, September 3.
According to festival artistic director Robert Mackle, community spirit and volunteerism came together to build the star of this year’s festival. A new architecturally, acoustically and environmentally designed permanent stage has been built since last year’s festival took place.
Mackle said after 36 years of cobbling together a stage out of plywood and tarps, festival attendees and performers are in for a big surprise.
“It's been a wonderful community party of new and old friends for 36 years; this speaks to the quality of the community here and the collaboration the festival represents,” said Mackle. “Everybody who comes into the park says, ‘Wow.’”
Sunshine Music Festival has grown from its early folk roots and now includes a circle of talent from all genres of music, according to Mackle.
“That is really expressed this year with lots of diversity,” he said.
Powell River’s Lukah Bouchard, who will perform with his band, said being introduced to new talent is his favourite thing about the festival.
“Second is the location,” said Bouchard. “It’s a wonderful view from the stage, looking down the meadow through the beautiful tent all the way to the ocean.”
Since the release of Lukah Bouchard Band’s first record, 5 Days a Week, Bouchard said he has been busy writing new material that he is excited to be playing.
Local artists joining Bouchard in the festival’s lineup include Tyler Bartfai and the Stowaways, who will perform the day before leaving on tour of BC and Alberta, and Ben Wayne Kyle.
Mackle said he is excited about new, young talent, including Joel Kamps, whose debut album, Sojourner, won the Album of the Year Award at the Western Canadian Music Awards in 2012.
Mackle also said The Metronomad (Mustafa Ahmed), an exciting new voice in Canadian hip-hop, is one to watch.
“This young kid has songs that every Canadian should hear, given the current political and social climate,” said Mackle.
Canada’s queen of soul music, Vancouver’s Dawn Pemberton, will perform with her band on Saturday and Sunday.
“She'll bring it to a glory here,” said Mackle.
Other performers include contemporary Punjabi band En Karma, reggae-ska band Roots Roundup, composer and santur player Sina Bathaie, and folk-rockers Carmanah and Deep Sea Gypsies.
“Carmanah will be amazing,” said Mackle, “and Deep Sea Gypsies will be wild.”
Before volunteers arrive at the beach to help prepare for the event and setup, Mackle said he plans to show up early and take in a moment of peace before the fun begins. Volunteers are still required for setup on Thursday and Friday mornings starting at 9:30 am, as well as teardown on Monday, with lunch and beverages provided. Each day of volunteering equals a one-day pass to the festival, according to organizers.
For more information, go to sunshinemusicfest.com.
