The fifth annual Oliver Sunshine Festival takes place this weekend, July 10 to 11.
“Festival-goers of all ages can expect all the elements of a great summer event, including a parade down Main Street, tons of kiddie activities, food vendors, West Coast Amusements and hours of free live entertainment on the community stage,” said Carol Sheridan, manager of Oliver Parks and Recreation.
New this year to the entertainment line-up is the Oliver’s Got Talent Show featuring local youth performing Saturday on the main stage following the parade, which starts on Main Street at 10:30 p.m..
“Open auditions were held on June 27 and the result is a fantastic variety of singing and dancing acts with the youngest performer at eight years old and the oldest performer at 13,” said Sheridan.
Performances begin at 12:30 p.m. and organizers said it is not to be missed, fun show and chance to support young, local performers including November Grainger and Emma Lochrie, Aydan Fraser, Caitlin Field, Aidan Kitt, Navrit Dhaliwal, Emma Lennox, Kyah Allen, Madison Pearce and Kristina Becker and the duet of Samantha Williams and Haley McLeod.
Among the family activities are bingo, a craft zone, a waterslide and a petting farm.
The festival grounds will open at 5 p.m. on Friday with entertainment by Pirate Jack and Aimee Grice until 7 p.m. when the official opening ceremonies will happen. Finishing off the evening will be the bands Wined It Up, Youngun’s until 11 p.m.
On Saturday, the grounds will open at 11 a.m. just after the parade starts. Some of the featured entertainment that day includes a Mat Duffus children’s show at 11:30 a.m., the pie eating contest at 3:30 p.m. (register in advance at the main gate), Hilary Drummond at 6 p.m., Cod Gone Wild at 7 p.m. Great White North performing at 8:45 p.m., DJ Mast3rBlast3r on the stage at 10:15 p.m. and the night will end with a fire and glow dance show starting at 10:30 p.m. until the festival site closes at 11 p.m.
A full entertainment listing of the Oliver Sunshine Festival, including all main stage performance times as well as family activities visit www.oliverrecreation.ca.
A warm up to the festival happens on Thursday, July 9 at the Oliver Community Park with Uncork the Sun.
From 6 to 10 p.m. there will be live music by classic reggae band Mostly Marley. Witness and taste the Oliver Top Dog culinary challenge where defending champion Chef Jeff Van Geest (Miradoro) will go head-to head with another local chef to each create their signature hotdog featuring locally sourced ingredients and taste the 36 wineries of the Oliver-Osoyoos Wine Country.
Tickets are $30 for adults, $15 for students and kids under eight are free. They can be purchased at the Oliver Community Centre and the Oliver Visitor Centre.