After a three-year hiatus, Summer Muse will return to Diana Wood’s garden on Saturday, August 16.
The event began in 2004 as an informal gathering of neighbours and friends for an evening of acoustic music. Word of mouth travelled fast and it soon grew to include a diverse roster of local and national talent. Award-winning singer-songwriter Jill Barber even accepted an invitation to perform a rare solo set in 2009, becoming a fixture of the event in its later years.
In fact, it was Barber and husband Grant Lawrence who enquired last year about whether or not Summer Muse would ever make a comeback. “They came to Powell River, passing through, so I invited them to stay in my place,” recalled Wood. “She asked me, ‘Hey, have you ever thought about reviving the Summer Muse again?’ I said, ‘Have you?’ And she said yes, she wants to.”
Once Barber committed to a date, Wood began contacting many of the volunteers from the event’s decade-long history to see if it could be done. Past performer Devon Hanley agreed to coordinate the entertainment and will take the stage alongside Barber, Ben Bouchard, Walter Martella, Jasper Sassaman, and the Blackberry Jam Youth Jazz Band. Music will run from 4 to 11 pm on the lawns behind Boxwood Cottage, located at 4310 Westview Avenue.
The peaceful setting and laid-back pace of the evening will also be complemented by food and beverage service, served under a quaint treehouse overlooking the stage. “We’ll have red wine, white wine, beer and food,” said Wood.
Entrance is by donation, with all proceeds going to Powell River Botanic Garden Society. “If people donate more than $15 and if they want to be members of the botanic garden society they can,” she explained. Directors will be on hand to talk about the project, which aims to establish a botanical garden at the city’s former waste transfer and incineration site.
As for her own garden, Wood said she’ll be happy to see it filled with music once again. “Everybody enjoyed it so much. It’s nice, you know, to provide some place for this to happen.”
For more information on the return of Summer Muse, interested readers may contact Wood at 604.485.2860 or [email protected].
