Blues festival thrills
Wow. The first blues festival in Powell River was unbelievable [“Seaside festival prepares to rock,” June 1]. From Friday night, June 3, right through until Sunday evening, June 5, it was a huge success.
The positive experience began with the parking attendants who met me with a smile and directed me into an allotted space. This was followed by the volunteers and security at the gate, with the same friendly greeting, as music began to wash over the scene. The venue for this event was so well thought out it truly was amazing. With vendors and washrooms strategically placed, and the beer gardens facing the stage beside the grassy knoll, there was ample room to view all the bands. There were stands for those who didn’t bring chairs and shade for the ones who needed some time out of the sun.
The stage looked perfect, and ideal for all the musicians and their instruments, who piled on during their appointed times of the day. Everything ran like clockwork. Debbie Dee brought her infectious personality to the stage as emcee (she had a smile on her face the whole weekend)and, I might add, performed on stage Saturday with Impromptu Blues, which was on par with all of the visiting bands. The lineup for the whole festival was fantastic. There wasn’t one bum act. They just kept getting better and better, it seemed, throughout the weekend. And, if one thought that the local talent was kind of a filler, think again.
Lots of really cool things happened during the weekend but I think I will keep them a secret to treasure in my memories.
I offer my kudos to the organizers of this event, to all of the people who volunteered time and, of course, to the performers. It was so nice to have the musicians be so gracious about our community and speak about how lovely it was to be here visiting. Let’s hope they will come back again to provide us with more top-quality musicianship.
Hats off to the Powell River Blues Festival. Please reserve me a weekend pass to next year’s event.
Debbie Galinski
Gordon Avenue
Herons arrive for fish talk
Sierra Club Malaspina’s wild salmon event on May 25, featuring Canadian hero Alexandra Morton, started off dramatically with the return of our beautiful Great Blue Heron [“Biologist shares passion,” May 18].
The heron landed in its nesting area just as Morton walked to the entrance of Powell River Recreation Complex.
Erik and Soosan Blaney from Tla’Amin (Sliammon) First Nation drummed and sang a beautiful traditional prayer song.
Terry Brown and Jude Abrams delighted the crowd of over 300 people with their underwater photography of some of our local salmon.
Jeremy Williams then showed his amazing film of Morton’s Get Out Migration walk from Sointula to Victoria and the paddle down the Fraser River.
Morton, in her calm, articulate manner, inspired and enlightened the audience with her strong, passionate commitment on the importance of our coastal wild salmon.
She talked about the continued demise of our wild salmon that are being so negatively affected from the massive invasion of foreign-owned fish farms.
Morton gave her heart-felt thanks to the people of Powell River for their wonderful welcome, support and generosity.
Sierra Club Malaspina was proud to have sponsored this event and to donate all funds collected to Morton’s work.
Esther Dyck
Vananda Avenue
Sierra Club Malaspina secretary
