Chamber of Commerce endorses Boonstock Music Festival

PENTICTON – The Penticton Chamber of Commerce announced its endorsement of the Boonstock Music Festival, coming to Penticton in August.

The announcement was made Wednesday at the Commerce’s Board of Directors meeting. The endorsement acknowledges the work organizers have put, and are putting safety and success into the planning of the event.

“I am extremely excited about the potential economic impact of a festival of this magnitude,” said Campbell Watt, President of the Penticton & Wine Country Chamber of Commerce.  “We will have thousands of visitors coming to Penticton that will be spending money at our local businesses.”

This is the first time Penticton has hosted Boonstock Festival. There has been controversy over the event, including security issues and concert grounds, which are on Penticton Indian Band land.

The festival will bring a young demographic to the area, which Watt said will really benefit the local market.

“We have an opportunity to welcome (the young visitors) and turn them into repeat visitors,” he said.

The Chamber is hosting an open forums for members on June 19 to discuss safety and emergency planning for Boonstock. Festival organizers will be at the event from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. to talk about planning.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Meaghan Archer at marcher@infotelnews.ca or call 250-488-3065. To contact the editor, email mjones@infotelnews.ca or call 250-718-2724.