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Registration closes next week

Major cultural event held for 67 years
Registration closes next week

Some new faces will be found among Rotary Club of Powell River volunteers at the 2011 Powell River Festival of Performing Arts.

Members of the new Sunrise club, a morning Rotary club, will be helping with the event along with members of the evening club.

Festival co-chairs John Hall and Joyce Carlson made a presentation to the new club this week. Hall spoke about the benefits of the festival, using his three children as an example.

“Participating in music and speech arts gives them confidence,” Hall explained. One of his adult daughters works for federal government. “She attends meetings in Ottawa all the time and I’m sure her experience with the festival helps her.”

Hall’s son William participated in his first festival as a kindergarten student. Now in secondary school, he has been part of both the vocal and piano components. “It’s a terrific experience for the kids and adults too. It’s not just for young people.”

Hall explained how Rotary had taken on sponsorship of the festival and he was glad that it didn’t give up on it. Previous organizers were no longer able to carry on and the festival was in danger of folding.

Sessions are held at Max Cameron Theatre in Brooks Secondary School and Evergreen Theatre at Powell River Recreation Complex.

Entry to all sessions is free to the public although donations are accepted. Any money collected is used to provide transportation assistance to participants who are recommended by adjudicators to Performing Arts BC festival. “Adjudicators are just blown away by what they see here,” said Hall, adding, “It’s amazing to see how much talent there is in this city and its impact.” He recalls when selling grocery raffle tickets last month that some people who did not buy a ticket would donate $20 just because Rotary sponsors the festival. “That makes me proud to be a Rotarian and to be involved with this festival.”

Registration for this year’s festival closes at 4 pm on Tuesday, January 25 at Powell River Academy of Music. A copy of all the categories in the festival can be found on

Rotary's website .

Entries are sorted into five disciplines: vocal, band and instrumental, piano, strings and speech arts.

Organizers remind trophy winners to return their trophies from 2010’s festival, with engraving up to date, to the academy by January 25 so they can be prepared for the upcoming festival.