One of the Okanagan’s rising music stars will be on the main stage at the 65th Penticton Peach festival.
Penticton’s Nikita Afonso will headline Aug. 11 in Okanagan Lake Park. She will be followed on Saturday evening by the AC/DC tribute band High Voltage, which has thrilled Peach Festival fans for the past two years.
Afonso has been performing in the South Okanagan for several years, but burst into the spotlight last year when country superstar Keith Urban called her up on stage to sing in front of a capacity crowd at the South Okanagan Events Centre.
Since then, she attracted a sellout crowd at the Cleland Theatre and was the opening act for Paul Brandt at the SOEC.
“I’m really excited about playing at the Peach Festival,” said Afonso. “I grew up dreaming that someday I would be up on stage, in front of thousands of people at Peachfest.”
Peach Festival Entertainment Director Bill Kolter said he is thrilled to have Afonso performing this year.
“Firstly, she is a great singer and songwriter,” Kolter said. “And secondly, she is from Penticton.”
Kolter said that while Peachfest is known for bringing Canada’s top entertainers to Penticton, the festival has always placed an emphasis on local entertainers.
“It is important that we provide a venue for our local performers to show their talent in front of their hometown fans. This year, we will have 27 local acts performing on the main stage,” said Kolter.
In addition to the main stage entertainers, numerous local performers will be featured at the Aboriginal Cultural Village, in nearby Gyro Park.
Among the headline acts confirmed for Peach Festival are: Lighthouse, three-time recipient of Canada’s Group of the Year Award; legendary Vancouver rockers 54-40; and the West Coast Lumberjack Show, which attracted huge crowds when they made their first appearance at Peachfest in 2009.
Peach Festival is scheduled Aug. 8 to 12. For more info on the festival and events schedule visit www.peachfest.com.
