Kiwanis out of music festival
ORGANIZERS HAVE LINED UP VENUES FOR TWO-WEEK EVENT
In Lethbridge, it’s a welcome sign of spring.
Next March, downtown venues will echo once again with the sounds of young musicians, ready for suggestions and praise from adjudicators.
But for the first time, the two-week event will be known as the Lethbridge and District Music and Speech Arts Festival. After more than 60 years, the Kiwanis Club has taken its final bows.
Sandy Brunelle, president of the newly organized sponsoring society, explains its board members shadowed Kiwanis volunteers last year — after the club helped create the new organization to continue the iconic festival.
“We thank the Kiwanis Club and its many volunteers who have been involved all those years,” she says. “I don’t know if they received all the recognition they deserved.”
Thanks to the club’s assistance, she says, the new organization is ready to announce details for the 2018 festival, set for March 12-24. Online registration for the competition’s many events will open in January.
“We expect more than 2,000 participants,” Brunelle says.
They come from right across southern Alberta — Medicine Hat has a festival, too — as well as northern Montana. Music and speech arts fans are able to hear the festival’s top performers during Saturday concerts each week.
Exactly where those concerts will be presented will be announced in due course, she adds. The Yates Centre, home base for many festival events over the years, is under renovation but organizers have lined up other venues in its place.
While the festival society is maintaining an office in the Professional Building, Brunelle says Casa will serve as headquarters during the 2018 edition.
But it will also use a Facebook page to remind people about festival events.
“You can go there and ‘Like’ us,” and also link to an online newsletter.
Interested residents can also sign up to join the society, Brunelle says.
“There’s no charge — as long as you’re willing to work.”
That’s the example set by Kiwanis members over so many years, she points out.
“They devoted countless hours to make it happen.”
Follow@DMabellHer ald on Twitter