Kicking off Kootenay Festival's most exciting year yet!
By Kyra Hoggan
What started five years ago as a fairly small community gathering has grown to include exciting and dynamic offerings ranging from entertainment and vendors to hot-air-balloon and kayak rides.
Kootenay Festival – Let’s Celebrate is presented in partnership by the RDCK, Castlegar Arts Council and the Castlegar and District Recreation Complex, along with keynote sponsor Trowelex Rental and Sales, according to organizer Audrey Maxwell Polovnikoff.
“And this year, we’ve partnered with Castlegar Re/Max Home Advantage to bring in the Re/Max hot air balloon and bouncy castle,” she added. “There will be a minimum donation of $5 for rides on the balloon, part of which will go the Castlegar Re/Max charity Children’s Miracle Network, and part of which will be used to cover expenses.
“We have also partnered with Endless Adventure so revelers can try out their paddleboards and kayaks, and get some instruction on how to use them in one of the Millennium Ponds,” Polovnikoff said.
Best of all, the festival is free to attend at its new location in Millennium Park downtown (although donations, of course, will be gratefully accepted).
The event will also boast roughly 50 vendors and a stunning entertainment line-up with about a dozen acts hitting the stage throughout the day.
“We’re beyond excited about the new location, and so are our vendors,” she said. “This event not only promotes tourism and showcases the cultural offerings to be found in the region, it also is overflowing with community building and community pride – what better place for that than Castlegar’s crown-jewel attraction?”
The venue also gives them lots of room to spread out – with over 2,500 attendees last year and more expected in 2015, having lots of space is critical.
“Tons of the people we’re expecting will be kids, so we’ve partnered with Kootenay Family Place to make sure there are abundant children’s activities, including a magician and face –painting. The West Kootenay Kennel Club will also be there with a children’s dog show
Everyone’s encouraged to come on down on July 25 from 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. (Mountain Transport Institute has generously offered shuttle service from the Complex and the Station Museum) or, to get information in advance or learn more about their generous sponsors, check out their website at www.kootenayfestival.com
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