Since 2005 Shara Gustafson and Seth Macdonald have welcomed musicians and music enthusiasts to their front lawn in Dunster, B.C. for the Robson Valley Music Festival.
With this year鈥檚 festival a little more than a week away, excitement and nerves are setting in for Gustafson. 鈥淲e鈥檝e been gone and just got back yesterday and now it鈥檚 the full on 鈥榓hhh!鈥欌��
The Robson Valley Music Festival typically attracts people from northern Alberta and as far west as Prince George, B.C.
Twenty-six acts will take the stage during the three-day festival Aug. 16鈥�18, including Mamaguroove, a reggae roots band that consists of Gustafson, her husband Macdonald, Chris Chapman, Dave McKillican and David Radies. The festival is Mamaguroove鈥檚 only show this year, Gustafson adds.
Gustafson and Macdonald will also perform soul, folk rock and roots music as the duo Samson鈥檚 Delilah.
鈥淧eople can expect to be blown away by the acts that are coming this year,鈥� said Gustafson. 鈥淚 would say that every act is hand-picked and it鈥檚 people that we鈥檝e usually seen that have blown us away, so it鈥檚 pretty cool to bring them all together in one place for the weekend.鈥�
Performers include New Zealand鈥檚 Mihirangi, an eclectic musician who creates songs by recording voice loops, and A Tribe Called Red, a hip-hop group from Ontario that mixes electric music with pow wow vocals and drumming. The swinging punk country sounds of Alberta鈥檚 Punch Drunk Cabaret and the indie, funk, hip-hop and reggae six-piece band from B.C. called Boom Boom will also take the stage.
The Formidable Vegetable Sound System will add a different dynamic to the festival with the Australian group鈥檚 catchy 鈥渆cological edutainment.鈥�
With the addition of children鈥檚 entertainment and activities and workshops, 鈥渢he weekend is absolutely jam-packed,鈥� said Gustafson. 鈥淲e鈥檙e really geared toward a family-orientated event because our site is intimate.鈥� The festival鈥檚 capacity is limited to 1,000 people.
There will be a Victoria, B.C. artist in a 鈥渓ive art tent鈥� who will work on a large painting throughout the weekend that will be auctioned off at the festival鈥檚 end.
One of the art workshops involves creating a mixed media scrapbook, and everyone is encouraged to participate. Artist Paula Scott will have a base set up where people can use her materials to make a commemorative page for the scrapbook, explains Gustafson. 鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 have to be stuff about the festival, you can put anything you want in there.鈥�
Since the festival has grown throughout the years, it鈥檚 become time-consuming to organize, she adds, but the aim is to keep going until its 10th anniversary 鈥渁nd then we will probably re-evaluate at that time.鈥�
For more information about the Robson Valley Music Festival and to purchase tickets, visit www.robsonvalleymusicfestivalbc.com.
Sarah Makowsky
[email protected]
