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Story & Photos by Glenn Kohaly
The Salmon Arm Roots & Blues Festival is the largest, most musically diverse festival in the British Columbia Interior. Over the years it has gained an outstanding reputation for the variety and quality of its presentations, and for the high standard of its organization. The Festival takes place August 15, 16 and 17 at the Salmon Arm Fairgrounds, a 7-hectare park in the centre of beautiful Salmon Arm. At night, two stages run simultaneously. The TD Main Stage where you can catch the Festival headliners is at one end of the grounds. Here you can lay down a tarp or blanket, set up a couple of low-rise folding festival chairs and watch one headliner act after another through the evening. The dynamic Boogie Barn Stage lies at the other end of the site, pumping out live beats for the dancers in the crowd. During the daytime, six stages run concurrently and feature different genres of music including Blues, World, Alt-Roots, Folk, Dance and many others.
Wandering street musicians and entertainers roam the site offering guests impromptu performances. The Roots and Blues Festival is all about people – the people entertaining and the people being entertained! I’m not sure who is having more fun, but one thing is for certain, if you love being up close to the action, this festival will not disappoint you.
In 2014 you can look forward to such headliners as rock and roll band The Sheepdogs, who won three JUNO Awards in 2012. Hailing from Saskatoon, The Sheepdogs won an international competition in 2011, which secured them a cover on Rolling Stone magazine and a record deal, propelling them onto the international stage. The great Mavis Staples is an American rhythm and blues gospel singer, actress, and civil rights activist who will be front row and centre, adding to the eclectic mix of stunning performances. In fact, roughly 40 fabulous groups want to you to experience their musical talents.
Roots & Blues is family friendly with a Family Fun Zone offering many things for kids to see and do, including a Family Stage with a line-up geared towards children. Other amenities include a Global Food Village offering a delectable selection of western and ethnic cuisine, an Artisan Market featuring handmade Canadian originals, shaded beverage gardens with stage views, pre-registered camping and much more. The festival is a sonic and visual sampler that serves up an unforgettable experience. With something for everyone, it makes a great rendezvous point for friends and family to come together in the summertime.
Additionally, Roots & Blues presents a pre-fest community outreach program, Routes & Blues, now coming into its fourth year. Routes & Blues offers eight glorious days of Shuswap exploration. It ties regional communities, stops of interest, hikes and other outdoor activities, local food, community meals, and satellite concerts all together in an incredible experiential smorgasbord.
For more information check out www.rootsandblues.ca