Instruments are being tuned up and final details arranged for the first ever Powell River Blues Festival set to kick off at the Beach Gardens Resort and Marina Friday, June 3 to Sunday, June 5.
After an incredible amount of planning for organizers and a long stretch of waiting in eager anticipation by fans, the Blues Festival is finally here. Over the course of this upcoming weekend blues musicians from all over North America, and a few from right here in Powell River, will be hitting the stage and bringing one of the most basic, beautiful and bold musical genres with them.
As the event approaches organizers are working out the final details of the weekend and are keen to let the public know what to expect.
The stage will be at the base of the parking lot at the front of the resort. A large blue tie-dyed mandala by local artist and former Grateful Dead tie-dye legend Courtenay Pollock will don the back of the stage and seating will be on the lawn and on bleachers in front.
Fifty local volunteers will run the event and organizers say community support has been overwhelming.
Malaspina Art Society will have an art tent near all the action and artists will be live painting to the music throughout the event. There will be a beer garden at the event broadcasting the Vancouver Canucks Stanley Cup game. Food vendors will be on site with a wide variety of tasty eats, alongside craft and art booths. A vintage guitar restoration luthier will also have a tent and will be selling classic guitars.
“Sunny. Warm. Everybody having fun,” said co-organizer Kim Miller on what she’s looking forward to about the festival. “Some people getting a bit tipsy. Dancing. Just real fun loving, listening to some great music.”
All city buses over the course of the weekend will be free for anyone with a festival pass or ticket. There is limited parking on site so taking the bus is recommended. No food or drink is allowed to be brought into the festival aside from sealed non-alcoholic beverages under one litre or refillable water bottles. All bags will be subject to searches.
Tickets for the festival are still available and can be purchased either online or by phone at 1.888.222.6608. Prices are $120 for a weekend pass, $30 for Friday, $70 for Saturday or $50 for Sunday. Tickets will also be available at the gate for cash only at the same price.
For Friday and Saturday evenings 225 tickets will be available at the festival on a first-come, first-served basis for an after-hours blues jam with some of the top acts from the festival. The jams will take place at the Beach Garden’s Pow Wow Room and will be a chance for an up close and personal blues session.
