By Gary Kingston for the North Delta Reporter
Jazzy blues for the kids. Jazz sung by a kid. Or, more accurately, a teenager.
Popular children’s entertainers The Blues Berries and North Delta’s own young crooner Nick Kluftinger are the show stage headliners for this year’s 52nd annual North Delta Lions Family Day Parade and Festival on June 23.
The Blues Berries, who are based in Vancouver and perform throughout Canada, will bring their unique approach to the blues to the stage in a show that is sure to entertain kids of all ages. The music is classic blues-rock with educational and age-appropriate lyrics that take on themes like bullying, helping your parents around the house and recycling.
Also taking the stage this year in North Delta Community Park is Kluftinger, a 15-year-old Burnsview Secondary student who loves to sing songs made popular by legends like Michael Bublé, Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole.
“I listened to a lot of jazz,” says Kluftinger, who began singing at the age of eight. “A lot of Michael Bublé, Nat King Cole. I like its cool and classy nature. I don’t really say it’s my own take, but it’s like refurbishing classic art, sort of a new point of view, a fresh perspective.”
Kluftinger, who marched in the Family Day parade a few years back when he was in a martial arts club, says he’s excited about performing on the show stage.
“Oh yeah, for sure. It’s going to be fun for me. There’s going to be lots of friends and family there.”
Kluftinger has previously performed at Delta Idol, Delta’s Got Talent, Youth Talent Search B.C. and in various musical theatre productions. He’ll be accompanied on stage at Family Day by pianists Liam Hilton, 12, and Edan Stasiuk, 17.
Kicking off the stage show at this year’s festival will be the popular country/rock group The Beaten Path. And you can also expect some high-energy dance groups.
The big day for North Delta residents kicks off at 11 a.m. with the parade along 112th Street from Burnsview Secondary School to 84th Avenue. The festival runs from noon to 4 p.m. at North Delta Community Park, with the stage show and field displays featuring local business, community groups and sports organizations.
There will be lots of activities for kids on the park’s lower artificial turf field, including bouncy castles, bouncy horses, mini golf and a paddle boat pool. The U10 Division of Delta Fastpitch will also be holding its season-ending tournament.
And, of course, hard-working Lions Club members will be on hand cooking all the terrific food residents have come to enjoy over the years — salmon and chicken, plus burgers, hot dogs, fries and veggie burgers.
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