The second annual Kimberley Artist Gathering will take place over the May long weekend this year.
From May 19 to 22 there will be performances from independent musicians hailing from Vancouver to Winnipeg at Centre 64, The Green Door, and the Gazebo in the Platzl.
The event is hosted in collaboration with local hoteliers Ted and Val Fitch, Ted’s brother Peter, a New Brunswick professor and arts enthusiast, and Kelowna based artists Andrew and Tami Smith.
Various musicians and bands will perform a mix of folk, indie pop, jazz, and blues. There will also be workshops for guitarists and songwriters, as well as a musical theatre performance for families.
Event Organizer, Andrew Smith said that similar to last year, “there will be artists from here, there and everywhere including Winnipeg, the Okanagan, and Kelowna.
“This year we’ve really amped it up with the [addition of] workshops and a family musical theatre performance.”
The musical theatre performance is called Blink’s Garden and was written and created by John Jansen. In the hour long play, Jansen works with his two sons and the band they created called, The Jansen Boys, to tell a story about two best friends who live in an arid, desert land next to a well.
Blink’s Garden has toured both the Winnipeg and Edmonton Fringe Festivals and Jansen is now bringing a version of it to Kimberley.
“He [Jansen] will be working with local musicians for the play. He is a great musician and a great writer and I think it should be really fun,” said Smith.
With regards to the workshops, which will take place on Saturday and Sunday mornings, Smith said, “I think they will be of real interest to the local community. The leaders John Lent and Neil Fraser are brilliant. John is a poet and novelist, and he teaches creative writing and literature, so his workshop will focus on writing that spans more than just songwriting.”
The Lineup: Friday, May 19 at 7:30p.m. there will be a multi-artist concert at the Green Door, tickets are $15. There will also be a songwriters in the round event at 3:30p.m. at the Green Door, tickets are by donation.
Saturday, May 20 at 7:30p.m. there will be another multi-artist concert at Centre 64, tickets are $20.
On Sunday, May 21 at 3p.m. Blink’s Garden musical theatre performance will be at Centre 64. Tickets are $15 for adults and $5 for children.
On both Saturday and Sunday at 12 noon there will be free concerts in the Gazebo in the Platzl.
Tickets for all of the events can be purchased at www.eventbrite.ca
The event is sponsored by The Chateau Kimberley Hotel and Art Gallery, who will be hosting visiting artists for the weekend. Other sponsors include the Green Door, Fisher Peak Performing Artist Society, GO Kimberley, and Hotel Kimberley.
For more information visit the Kimberley Artist Gathering Facebook page at www.facebook.com/kimberleyartistgathering