Spirit Festival

The first annual Central Okanagan Spirit Festival is a brand new event to the Central Okanagan region, which will be open for all to enjoy and celebrate during the entire month of February 2011. Festival events and performances will provide attendees with an exciting opportunity for exploration, participation and enjoyment for all ages and all levels of art and cultural knowledge and experiences.

More details after the jump



"This is going to be a great event and a strong boost for our local artists," says Kelowna-Mission MLA Steve Thomson. "The Arts Council does outstanding work and I know this will be a success."

With funding received from the provincial government through the Assembly of the BC Arts Councils, the Central Okanagan Spirit Festival, presented by the Arts Council of the Central Okanagan (ARTSCO), is a celebration of our community's artistic and cultural diversity.

"We have so many excellent artists in the Kelowna area," says Kelowna- Lake Country MLA Norm Letnick. "Supporting groups like the Arts Council enables them to fully realize their talents."

The Central Okanagan Spirit Festival is an exciting collaborative undertaking between ARTSCO and Central Okanagan arts and cultural and heritage organizations, which include visual arts, performing arts, literary arts, and culinary arts. Events are multi-faceted and incorporate prologue, performance, educational workshops, tours, and displays throughout the Central Okanagan. Valley wide events will be held across Lake Country, Kelowna, and Peachland, BC.

"The Kelowna Spirit Festival will give us all a reason to celebrate in February," says Westside-Kelowna MLA Ben Stewart. "The range of events means there will be something for everyone to enjoy."

In addition, the Central Okanagan Spirit Festival will honour our cultural heritage through the sharing of indigenous values and philosophies and through the story telling of aboriginal artistic works. The culture and heritage festival component will provide the public the opportunity to explore local heritage sites that have aided in the forming of our local culture.

The Central Okanagan Spirit Festival also encourages local artists to present new and original creations through artistic expression, and to celebrate global artistic contributions through performance, education and display.

Contributing arts organizations participating in the Central Okanagan Spirit Festival will include Westside Plein Aire Group, Lake Country Museum/Heritage & Culture Society, Okanagan Symphony, Okanagan Institute, Chamber Music Kelowna, Lake Country Art Gallery, Okanagan Arts Awards, Rotary Centre for the Arts, Youth Orchestra, Conduit Festival, Alternator Gallery, Ballet Kelowna, Global Music Fest, and Central Okanagan Regional Libraries.

Participants of all ages are encouraged to partake and enjoy in the Central Okanagan Spirit Festival. Many events will be free of charge. Ticketed events will vary in price; up to approximately $35. Attendees will be encouraged to attend all components of the Okanagan Spirit Festival with acknowledgement given at each event in a passport system, leading to chances for rewards at the end of the festival.

The excitement will also grow as each Central Okanagan Spirit Festival activity event leads to the next one, culminating with the fabulous grand finale - the Okanagan Arts Awards Celebration (now in its fourth year).

The aim of the Central Okanagan Spirit Festival is to serve as a platform to showcase BC's creative sector and open new doors connecting Okanagan communities to their local artists and arts organizations and to become a long term, community engaged cultural celebration, fostering community pride through cultural diversity: providing access to learning, sharing, and participating in our artistic and cultural development.