Arts on the Fly returns Friday evening, July 11 and Saturday, July 12 in Horsefly, B.C. jam-packed with entertainment and activities.
“I'm very excited, we have an incredible lineup," festival president Leah Martin told the Tribune.
Since COVID the board has been running a smaller festival successfully with just two stages - the community hall and the solar stage down by the river - which will be the case this year.
“We made the river stage more of a main stage area so we can celebrate there right near the river," Martin said. "You can be sitting listening to music with your feet in the river even."
Representatives from Williams Lake First Nation will open the festival with a land acknowledgement followed by a square dance in the hall led by Horsefly’s own Pharis and Jason Romero and their new D9 Stringband.
“It’s really interactive, hands-on learning in the moment on how to square dance,” Martin said of the square dance.
Other acts for the festival include Mike Lynch, The Screech Owls, Amy Blanding, The Hillbettys, Idle Moon, Coastal Drifters, Parlour Panther, Daniel Lapp, Beaver Valley Symphony Orchestra, Ian Skorscha, Misty Raine, Rhododendron, 10 Day Notice, No Big D, Dead Sexy, Brian and Rick, Marcel Gagnon, Talel McBriar, Bats and Dao, Milltown Philosophers, Shannon O’Donovan’s Valley Folk, JP Max & Co, Red Haven, History of Gunpowder and Zonnis & The Afterparty.
Martin said in addition to musical performances there will be yoga with Cindi Saj on Saturday morning, followed by a vocal workshop with Andrea Zonnis then a song session with David Roy Parsons titled ‘Ghosts” in the Round.
There will also be food vendors on site and Martin recommends that people bring cash with them because while Clarke’s Store in Horsefly has an ATM cash could be limited depending on how many people use it over the weekend.
On Saturday there will be a Kid’s Zone featuring a Wild and Immersive Story Hike, creative activities, a dress-up costume caravan and a bedtime story at 7 p.m.
The Willow Grove B&B will host an art show featuring works by Linda Bartsch, Kyra Blude, Don Gesinger, Lacey Mae Hamelin, Lucy Martel, Christina Mary, Rick McBurney, Iris Mes Low, Annie Murphy, Catherine Road and Lyle Williams Lake.
Some art will also be on display at the festival gate, Martin said.
“We will be auctioning off some huge light orbs made of willow. They will be hanging in strategic areas and you can bid on them.”
Martin also reminded people to bring lawn chairs.
Tickets are available at Clarke's Store in Horsefly, The Open Book and Guitar Seller in Williams Lake or online via Artsonthefly.com
