Spring Fest to take over downtown this weekend

Spring Fest is hitting Victoria Street later this week, with entertainment and sidewalk sales taking over the city centre from May 26th to May 28th. Dubbed Downtown’s Art and Music Festival, the three-day fest will feature five stages for live acts, merchant promos and art demonstrations.

New this year, the KCBIA is transforming the Kami Inn parking lot into a public square, something general manager Gay Pooler said is missing in the downtown core. The main stage will be set up in the makeshift public plaza, where artists will also be doing live canvas painting.

“Spring Festival has always been about celebrating spring and celebrating the arts,” said KCBIA general manager Gay Pooler.

“Arts and culture and heritage are really what set downtown apart from anywhere else in the city. You get an experience down here you can’t get anywhere else in the city.”

Sidewalk sales along with live music, art demos and entertainment are taking over the downtown core next weekend (May 26-28) for Spring Fest! For a full list of merchant promos and events details visit http://ow.ly/gpJH30bTILq #SPRINGFEST #downtownkamloops #explorekamloops

A post shared by Downtown Kamloops (@downtownkamloops) on May 20, 2017 at 1:35pm PDT

At Mission Dolores and Bees and the Bare Bones take the main stage back to back on Saturday evening. See below for the full weekend music lineup.

During the festival a group of mural artists will also be adding to the city’s back alley art gallery, turning the blank slate outside Jonathan Buchner Gems and Jewellery into a sea of flowers. Check it out and see artists Ken Wells, Kelly Wright, Evan Christian and Alex Moir-Porteus in action. All four artists have contributed to downtown murals.

Canvas paintings created by other participating artists over the weekend will be up for auction on Sunday.

Also new this year are extended hours, with festivities running until 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Pooler said it will kick off downtown's summer hours, with several merchants keeping their doors open later during the warmer months in hopes of encouraging more foot traffic downtown in the evenings, something the KCBIA started encouraging last year with its ‘Alive After 5’ marketing initiative.

Festival schedule:

Friday, May 26th 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.:

• Kelly Norwood Pinstriping Demo
• 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.: Lolli-Pop the Clown
• 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Clinton Gray’s Comedy Magic Show
• 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.: Kamloops Drum Connection Drum Circle
• 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.: Streetside Swing Dancing (with the TRU Swing Dance Club)
• 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.: Sacred Revolution Hoola Hoop Dancers
• Stores are open until 8 p.m. for evening shopping

Saturday, May 27th 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.:

• Main stage and public plaza on the 300 block of Victoria Street.
• Live action mural painting and interactive art activities.
• Kelly Norwood Pinstriping Demo
• 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Interactive Hoola Hoop Booth
• 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Sancho the Clown
• 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.: Henna Bee Tattoos

Sunday, May 28th 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• Local artwork display and auction with an interactive Makers Market
• Noon to 2 p.m.: Uncle Chris the Clown
• Free face painting

@beesandthebarebones is an upbeat duo that melds indie folk and pop to deliver an intimate, acoustic harmony. Catch them on the #SPRINGFEST Main Stage Saturday May 27th and Sunday the 28th! #downtownkamloops

A post shared by Downtown Kamloops (@downtownkamloops) on May 19, 2017 at 4:45pm PDT

Live music schedule:

Friday, May 26th:

100 block:

• 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.: Jared Doherty

200 block:

• 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.: Madison Olds
• 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.: Frank Stofanik
• 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.: Jeremy Kneeshaw
• 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.: Clairety

300 block:

• 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Gary Mockford
• 1:30 p.m to 3:30 p.m.: A-lea-ba
• 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.: Abraham Blanco – DJ
• 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.: Shayne Arthurs

400 block:

• Noon to 2 p.m: James & the North Shore
• 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.: Malik
• 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.: Strio-V

Lansdowne Village:

• 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Bill Gibson
• 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.: Christina & Neil

Saturday, May 27th:

200 block:

• 10:30 a.m. to noon: The Barks
• 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.: Peter Thorne
• 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.: Shayne Arthurs

300 block main stage:

• 11 a.m. to noon Malik
• 12:15 p.m. to 12:30 p.m.: Mosaic Fusion Bellydance
• 12:45 p.m. to 2:15 p.m.: Jeremy Kneeshaw Trio
• 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.: Dodie Goldney’s Instamatics
• 4:45 p.m. to 5:45 p.m.: At Mission Dolores
• 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.: Bees & Bare Bones

400 block:

• 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.: Trailer Park Noise
• 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.: Whisky & Wine

Lansdowne Village:

• 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.: TRU Swing Dance Club
• 12:40 p.m. to 1 p.m.: Mosaic Fusion Bellydance
• 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.: Frank Stofanik

Sunday, May 28th

200 block:

1. 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m: Clairety
2. 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.: Malik

300 block main stage:

• 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.: The Barks
• 12:45 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.: Bees & Bare Bones
• 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.: James & the North Shore

400 block:

• 11:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.: Frank Stofanik
• 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.: Dodie & Michael

Lansdowne Village:

• Noon to 2 p.m.: Frieda Woerler
• 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.: Whisky & Wine