Penticton plays host to hockey, jazz and dragon boats this weekend

PENTICTON – The Penticton entertainment scene is ramping up for the coming weekend, filling the city with a mix of music, dragon boats and National Hockey League prospects.

“There is not a room to be had,” Penticton Hospitality Association President Robert Appelman says. “I know the various organizations have been trying to get rooms, but with these three big events, it’s definitely tough. Nonetheless, it’s great to have these events, and it’s going to be a great weekend in Penticton."

One event that is filling hotel rooms all over the Peach City, is the Canucks Young Stars Classic tournament, which starts Friday, Sept. 11. The event is returning to the South Okanagan Events Centre for the fifth year.

The tournament runs through Monday, Sept.14, and this year’s roster is studded with notable prospects including Connor McDavid, Darnell Nurse, Jake Virtanen, Jordan Subban and Sam Bennett.

For a complete schedule of games over the four day event, see the Canucks Young Stars Classic web page. 

The 17th annual Pentastic Jazz Festival brings three days of world class jazz to the city beginning Friday with a special outreach concert at Princess Margaret School. The free concert features the Curbside Trad Jazz Band. Everyone is welcome to the event which runs from 1:50 to 3 p.m.

Jazz lovers can listen to an 11 band line up of jazz musicians from all over North America in what has become known as the best jazz party in the Pacific Northwest.

Penticton’s Elks Hall becomes the 'Cotton Club' for the weekend, while the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre becomes 'Bourbon Street' and the 'French Quarter,' the SS Sicamous the 'Speakeasy' and the Leisure Centre 'Satchmo’s.' Music runs Friday at 4:30 p.m. until 10:30 p.m., Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m to 3 p.m.

For more information on the festival, visit the Pentastic Jazz Festival website. For a complete agenda, see the the jazz festival’s agenda webpage.

The 15th annual Penticton Dragon Boat Festival is also taking place this weekend, with two qualifying 500-metre heats on Saturday followed by semi-finals Sunday morning and finals on Sunday afternoon. More than 2,500 athletes are expected to participate in this year’s festival, which also hosts a beverage garden, vendors and great food. For more about the event, and to register, see the Penticton Dragon Boat Festival website.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad at sarstad@infonews.ca or call 250-488-3065. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.