festival

Local immigrant making sure Mexican culture is celebrated in Kelowna

KELOWNA - A Kelowna bar is holding an event Wednesday night to help some local immigrants feel a little closer to home on a special day. Carmen Ruiz says Mexican Independence Day is important for the roughly 1,500 Mexicans living and working in the Okanagan. “This something that makes us really excited,” she says. “Lots...

Meet Dennis, the Roots and Blues Festival’s most mischievous volunteer

SALMON ARM - As you step through the gates of the Salmon Arm Roots and Blues Festival, volunteer Dennis Roberts will be the guy telling you there’s gum stuck to your pants, or that you fit the description of a police suspect, just for the heck of it. And while his motive is mischievous, the...

PHOTOS: Centre of Gravity 2015

KELOWNA – More than 20,000 people attended the 8th annual Centre of Gravity extreme sports and music festival in Kelowna over the weekend, but despite having the best lineup of talent of any previous year, rainy weather kept ticket sales down slightly. In past years they have sold out, however event organizer Scott Emslie said...

Center of Gravity set to take over downtown Kelowna this weekend

KELOWNA – Canada’s hottest beach party, an annual music and sports festival that continues to grow every year, is back in City Park again this weekend. Monster Energy’s Center of Gravity is a 100 per cent local event started by Kelowna native Scott Emslie eight years ago. Since that time it has grown to attract...

Centre of Gravity music lineup announced

KELOWNA – The music lineup for the largest sports and music festival in the Okanagan has just been announced and features some of the biggest names in music. Hit makers like Diplo, Knife Party and Flo Rida will be joined by Erica Dee, Tre Funk, Emotionz, The Funk Hunters, Delhi 2 Dublin, Kytami, SkiiTour and...

What the police expense report for Boonstock looks like

PENTICTON - The police expense report from the Boonstock festival weekend in August has been made public and reveals hundreds of thousands of dollars in overtime, car cleaning services and general supplies. The police report, released by the provincial government Monday, outlines the $252,715 in policing costs—both anticipated and unexpected—for the August long weekend when over...

Still no RCMP invoice for Boonstock

PENTICTON - It’s been almost three months since Boonstock weekend and festival organizers still have not received a copy of the RCMP expense report, which outlines additional costs incurred over the four-day festival. Forty officers were scheduled to work the festival weekend and racked up a $200,000 bill paid for by Boonstock. But in September,...

A quick recap of PeachFest 2014

PENTICTON - The city was buzzing with excitment this weekend over the 67th annual Peach Festival, a longstanding Penticton tradition. Canadian rock legends The Stampeders and Trooper both took to the stage and played two great shows to huge crowds. Okanagan Lake beach was full of people during the day, enjoying the hot Okanagan weather,...

What you need to know about Peach Fest

PENTICTON - The 67th annual Peach Festival starts Wednesday and runs all weekend, so here are a few tips, reminders and schedules to make sure you get the most out of the event. ENTERTAINMENT Emerson Drive kicks things off Wednesday night, followed by Trooper on Thursday, and The Stampeders on Saturday. A full list of...

IN PHOTOS: Boonstock After Dark

PENTICTON - The Boonstock grounds come alive at night with people dressed in costume, facepaint and dust. With hands in the air, they dance frantically and without a care to the music that literally shakes the ground and moves through your body from your feet on up through your limbs.  Here's a look at some...

Keloha music festival takes the stage this weekend

KELOWNA – The annual Keloha music festival is back for the third year in a row, and organizers have managed once again to secure some of the top up-and-coming names in indy, alternative and rock music today. The three day festival features more than 70 live acts, but Wet Ape entertainment director Kelly Shepherd says...

ARCHER: Hey Boonstock, just tell us what’s going on

Hey kids! Boonstock is only three weeks away! Nothing but fun and sun and music and culture and stuff! It’s all good all the time! Just please don’t look behind the curtain. I know I’ll be accused of being the grumpy old parent shushing the teenagers on their three-day sleepover, but I wish I didn’t...

Bouldering competition rolls through Kelowna this weekend

KELOWNA – For the second year in a row, rock climbers from around the world will come to Kelowna for Rock the Blocs Bouldering Festival. Bouldering is similar to traditional climbing, except instead of mountains, climbers scale large rocks as quickly as possible. The Okanagan is getting a reputation for having some of the best...

An evening for adults at the Children’s Festival

PENTICTON - Adults have their chance to be entertained Friday evening after the Okanagan International Children’s Festival, taking place Thursday through Saturday. Wine, champagne and appetizers will be offered to guests while they enjoy presentations from stilt walkers, and African and Middle Eastern dancers. Lanterns, hand-made by the kids, will be for sale, lit up...

Okanagan International Children’s Festival is back

PENTICTON - Children’s favourite performers such as Fred Penner and Kaput will be puttin’ on a show next weekend as part of The Okanagan International Children’s Festival. The festival begins Thursday, May 22 and runs until Saturday May 24. Child entertainers will perform on the Main Stage at Okanagan Lake Park and Marina Way Park....

Peachfest adds high-flying acts

PENTICTON - A high-flying act was added to the lineup for the 67th annual Penticton Peach Festival. A trampoline show, performed by The Trampoline Wall and Power Track Show, will present daily in Okanagan Lake Park during the festival. “This system allows the acrobat to carry out performances where he may walk on a vertical...