The Cumberland Wild Music Festival will unfold in Village Park on August 18 and 19.
This live-band driven event resides in the footprint of the much celebrated Atmosphere Gathering, and the well-loved Big Time Out before that. Returning to its roots as a venue for live talent, Cumberland Wild is a licenced festival that features two main stages with alternating acts.
Performances by Elliot Brood, Jessie Roper, and Five Alarm Funk will create a continuous groove-based dance experience.
“It harkens back to previous generations of Cumberland music festivals that could draw in the entire community,” says Vig Schulman, the artistic director of the new venture. “There is something playing all the time and you will be able to catch every great act on the bill.”
With a resume that includes programming for the Abbey, the Waverely Hotel, The Big Time Out, The Big Day Up, Atmosphere Gathering and Rock the Block, organizers of The Cumberland Wild are well versed in manifesting heroic music events.
This festival still maintains a smooth DJ component and continues the infamous late night silent disco. Aptly named, Cumberland Wild celebrates Cumberland’s renegade roots, and embraces the rogue element so important to the identity of this plucky little village. It also acknowledges its proximity to the beautiful natural environment surrounding the festival site. This year it even offers more options for forest camping.
Not too long ago Cumberland was a sleepy little ghost of its former mining boomtown glory. However, in recent years, Cumberland has experienced somewhat of a renaissance.
The community is revitalized and bustling once again, and it has built itself back up around recreation and live music. With its close proximity to the community forest and myriad recreation opportunities, it can be easy to forget how the arts have directly impacted the economic prosperity of the community.
Since 2004, Cumberland Village Works has helped set the tone for an exciting live music scene in the Village. Music fans might remember how it all started.
What began as small eclectic shows at The Abbey quickly grew into several impressive live shows each week at the Waverley. In 2005, the first major summer festival started a well-received tradition of having international headliners descend on Cumberland Village Park and delight festival goers, most of whom travelled no further than a few blocks to hear the likes of Spearhead, K’naan and Sam Roberts.
In recent years, Cumberland Village Works has been joined by Mt. Eliah Productions and the momentum they created has propelled the village music scene into the provincial spotlight.
Cumberland is definitely thriving, partly due to this legacy of hosting high-quality live music events. The cultural and economic vibrancy of Cumberland has grown steadily since 2004, and has, in turn, attracted more energy and talent.
Drawn to the village by the co-existing landscape of nature and culture, youthful additions are helping to regenerate the community’s core and maintain the village’s happening new vibe. This cultural reawakening has its roots deeply embedded in mountain biking and the lore of music appreciation.
To take in the next evolution of the Cumberland music and performance experience, get your tickets at Bop City Records in Courtenay or at the Waverley in Cumberland. For more info or to buy tickets online check out cumberlandwild.com
– Submitted by Sharon MacDonnell
