Kaleidoscope Festival is just around the corner in Kimberley, this year running from Aug. 16 to 20.
Chantel Delaney co-ordinates the event alongside Natalie Skokan and the entirety of the Kaleidoscope Festival committee, which saw some new additions to its ranks this year. The committee is made up of Kimberley Arts Council directors and Centre 64 members.
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This is Delaney and Skokan’s second year co-ordinating the festival. Delaney joined the committee as a volunteer three years ago and said she was inspired by the potential of the event, so when last year it announced it was looking for a new co-ordinator she immediately applied and then brought Skokan on board.
Founders of Original Goat Production, the two have also put on the Kimberley Horror Fest, Dirtbag Festival, Jingles for Jackets and many more local and regional events.
Kaleidoscope is usually an eight-day arts and culture festival that happens the third week of August. Delaney said this year they’ve decided to shorten it to five days. Last year, they introduced a new component to the festival they dubbed Date Night Under the Stars that proved to be one of the most successful events of the festival, despite bad weather forcing it indoors.
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The night, which featured music from local jazz outfit Take Four and a B.C. wine inspired bar, wound up being a favourite of attendees that year.
“The festival committee was really excited to do this event again but our festival schedule was very full so we partnered with the folks from First Saturdays and are putting it on together on Aug. 5 in the Centre 64 Studio,” Delaney explained. “This year it is called Jazz Night with Take Four. It is entry by donation so we invite people to pay what they can and come out for a lovely night.”
She added this year as a whole has a great schedule, with an increased focus on arts workshops.
The festival will kick off on Wednesday, Aug. 16 with Workshop Wednesday.
“We have workshops for creative writing, collage making, one-line drawing and painting,” Delaney said. “Space is limited so we encourage folks to register right away.”
On Thursday at the theatre, there will be a performance from the Lara Wong and Melón Jimenez Flamenco Quartet.
Friday is the Awards Gala, which this year is open to the public. Tickets will include snacks and music from La Cafamore, a classical trio out of Rossland, B.C.
“We will be celebrating the artists who have been featured in the Gallery throughout August as part of the 19th Annual Adjudicated Regional Exhibition, which is the origin of the Kaleidoscope Festival,” Delaney said.
Saturday night will feature a concert at Centre 64’s outdoor stage, with music from Kimberley’s Oliver McQuaid, followed by The Hollers. Admission is solely through pay-what-you-can donation and guests are invited to bring their own chairs and their dancing shoes.
The event will conclude on Sunday with the Kids Festival in the Platzl from noon to 4 p.m., which will include family-friendly events featuring a performance from Sandra Lamouche, an Indigenous hoop dancer, plus a storytime, face painting and much more. Admission on Sunday is free.
Local restaurants are set to participate in the Palate Pleaser Challenge throughout the festival, which will see them serve festival-themed drinks and dishes on their menus.
“Last year, we saw some incredible cocktails, baked goods and desserts served up and we’re excited to see what they come up with this year,” Delaney said.
Delaney said she is personally most excited for Workshop Wednesday this year.
“I wish I could do all of the workshops!” she said. “Rico is hosting the One-Line Drawing Workshop at the Art Gallery Kimberley.
“Colleen Friesen is leading the collage workshop where participants will be creating collaged keepsake boxes. Lori Craig is hosting a full-day creative writing workshop at her home — this one includes lunch, coffee and snacks. Michael Sutcliffe is leading the Paint and Sip workshop in the Studio at Centre 64.”
Kaleidoscope Festival is sponsored by Columbia Basin Trust, Teck, the Regional District of East Kootenay, the City of Kimberley, the British Columbia Arts Council and the Kootenay Columbia Cultural Alliance.
“We also have the support of many local businesses who sponsor the artist awards, who participate in the Palate Pleaser restaurant challenge and our friends at The Larix Hotel who provide accommodation for our visiting performers,” Delaney added.
“We are very fortunate to have incredible volunteers who are really the MVPs of every local event. We put a lot of focus on making volunteer shifts fun and rewarding. If anyone is interested in signing up for our volunteer mailing list, they can reach out to us at originalgoatproduction@gmail.com.”
paul.rodgers@kimberleybulletin
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