The Kimberley Kaleidoscope 2019 arts festival will once again offer eight days of arts entertainment and education, from the opening outdoor concert on Saturday night, August 17, to the closing comedy show the following Saturday night, August 24.

This year’s festival will feature some outstanding local artists providing entertainment and instruction while bringing to Kimberley professional performers from B.C. and Alberta to enrich the festival with their widely acclaimed talents. From comedy to classical music, from painting to song-writing, from poetry to rock n’ roll, this year’s festival has a little bit of everything.

Backing the festival as always will be the 15^th annual regional adjudicated art exhibition, formerly known as Arts on the Edge, now renamed the Kaleidoscope Celebration of Excellence in Fine Art to indicate its move away from awarding prizes for ‘edginess’ in art back to a more conventional celebration of artistic excellence. The show opens on July 30 and closes August 24 with awards being presented at the Kaleidoscope festival’s Gala Reception on Friday, August 23.

The festival itself will open its sixth season in the same way it has opened the past five seasons, with an open air concert and dance alongside Centre 64.

This year one of Kimberley’s favourite party bands, the Hollers, will be headlining the evening’s entertainment with the up-and-coming Kootenay Lately band opening for them.

Things get going when the gate open at 5:30 p.m., time to grab a hamburger or hot dog from the Elks’ BBQ and some liquid refreshment from the bar before Kootenay Lately starts the party rolling at 6. The Hollers take over at 7 and from then until 10 p.m. its rock n’ roll.

Admission, as always, is by donation at the gate.

Sunday evening’s entertainment moves indoors to Studio 64 where one of the area’s most original visual artists, Sam Millard, whose paintings have often won prizes at Centre 64 gallery exhibitions, will lead participants in painting a delightful composition while enjoying the fruits of the vine. Advanced registration for this popular paint and sip event is required as numbers are limited and it sells out early.

Advanced registration is also necessary to take part in a workshop for writers that day. Kimberley writer and writing instructor Lori Craig, assisted by Shannon Fraser, will lead a plein air writing workshop focusing on ‘What Nature Inspires’ in Shannon’s garden at St. Mary Lake. The workshop will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. that Sunday and lunch will be included. For both the above workshops register at Centre 64.

The week continues Monday with one of this year’s keynote guests, Governor General’s Award-winning poet, Richard Harrison from Calgary reading from his works in Studio 64. Opening for him will be a bevy of local writers reading from their own prose and poetry, accompanied by Kimberley guitarist, Brian Reichert.

Discounted ticket prices for youth are available for this event and, as usual for most festival events, guests can enjoy refreshments at the bar.

Following the Poetry and Prose evening, the week offers a two-part song-writing workshop with Darin Welch, a classical concert with the La Cafamore Trio, the Gala Reception with awards, live auction, entertainment and great eats, a Children’s Festival in the Platzl on Saturday with Kelowna’s Kiki the Eco Elf and Ktunaxa youth drummers, and the closing comedy performance in the Theatre at Centre 64 with Carly’s Angels drag comedy show from Calgary.

More about all these in the next Kaleidoscope update.

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