With August comes the beginning of music festival season in the Boundary, with three gatherings slated for the next few weeks.
It all kicks off tomorrow with the Boogie Bash setting up shop at the Rock Creek Fairgrounds.
This year’s Bash features a line-up of nine musical acts and will run Friday through Sunday. Friday night will see the Jimmy LeGuilloux Band, Kolar and High Voltage take to the stage, with Lazy Mike and the Rockin’ Recliners, Steel Toed and The Longriders providing Saturday evening’s entertainment. El Surf Cats, Fully Loaded and Legzz will round out the music component of the festival on Sunday.
The Boogie Bash is presented annually by the interior B.C. chapter of the Association for Injured Motorcyclists (AIM). Formed in 1983 by a group of B.C. motorcyclists as a method of providing support for injured riders, the association provides numerous services and resources associated with an accident, including legal counsel and rehabilitation.
This is the 27th Boogie Bash, and, as always will feature numerous bike-related events, as well as food and merchandise vendors. Weekend tickets are priced at $60, and the event is open only to those of legal drinking age. Attendees are welcome to take their own alcohol, and camping is nearby the site.
The second annual CannaFest will be staged in Grand Forks James Donaldson Park on Aug. 7 – 8.
The show is put on by the B.C. Pain Society and is billed as “the hottest rock and roll festival in Canada.” Organizer Chuck Varabioff said plans have gone very well and he is ready for a great festival.
This is the second time that Varabioff has organized CannaFest, the first one taking place in Vancouver last year. This year’s musical line-up is a who’s who of Canadian seventies and eighties rockers, including Lee Aaron, Jerry Doucette, Prism, Headpins and Streetheart, along with former Foreigner vocalist Lou Gramm. Advance passes for the weekend sell for $75 for an adult or $30 for a child (age 12 and under), while children under age six are free. One-day tickets priced at $50 for an adult. Tickets are going fast; visit cannafest.ca to order.
CannaFest is an all-ages event.
The Ponderosa Music Festival rolls into Rock Creek for three days on Aug. 21 with another impressive indie rock line-up including veteran Salmon Arm artist Herald Nix and headliners Mountie, which features critically acclaimed Ontario rocker Hawksley Workman.
The brainchild of friends Kris Hargrave and Kia Zahrabi, Ponderosa strives to maintain a certain vibe and sense of community that the organizers feel has faded from some of the larger outdoor music events.
“The location, the arts, the food, the story, and of course, the music all contribute to the unique festival experience that is Ponderosa,” explained the organizers.
“We feel so passionate about this project and take every opportunity to bring something genuine and pure to those who attend—going back to the true meaning of ‘hosting’ a party. The Ponderosa team also has a focus on sustainability and believes in organic growth. Rock Creek is a small community that enjoys its laid back, undiscovered reputation and we want to be sure the festival grows at a rate that the community is comfortable with.
“This is one of the reasons why we see Ponderosa as a niche festival—a unique getaway festival experience for both long-time festivalgoers and those looking to try it for the first time.”
Despite being billed as an all-ages festival, Ponderosa caters primarily to a mature audience, and an adult must accompany all attendees under the age of 19.
The vendor portion of the festival will be made up of local artists and artisans, unique boutique merchants and an eclectic array of foods designed to suit all types of diets.
The festival takes place on the Rock Creek Fairgrounds. Three-day festival passes start at $125, and one-day tickets can be purchased for $45.
