After a successful debut last year, the Okanagan Vinyl Festival is back this Sunday, bigger and better.
Last year, the homage to the glory of vinyl had about a dozen vendors, with 22 tables, but according to Penticton Community Radio Society president Dave Del Rizzo, this year there will be 19 vendors setting up at the Shatford Centre, with over 30 tables of vinyl albums spilling out into the foyer.
The vinyl fest, which is expected to draw collectors, traders, buyers and sellers of vinyl albums from up and down the valley, is a major fundraiser for the PCRS, which is working their way towards setting up an on-air community radio station broadcasting in Penticton.
Far from being forgotten in the rush to CDs and now MP3 music files, vinyl albums have been making a comeback in recent years. Nor is the resurgence limited to collectors looking for copies of classic albums; an increasing number of musicians and bands are issuing new albums on vinyl.
For many audiophiles it never really left. Vinyl record sections in music stores have been expanding continuously over the past five years and used record stores are popping up everywhere. People are beginning to realize the value in the record collections sitting idle in their basements.
The reason, said Del Rizzo, is the sound. The grooves are a real signal, said Del Rizzo, a representation of the music being played rather than a processed digital interpretation. And playback is just the reverse of the process.
Then there is the album and record sleeve, a 12x12 work of art in your hands.
But there will be more to offer at the Vinyl Fest than thousands of albums. London Drugs Penticton and the Hi-Fi Attic of Vernon will have displays and listening stations to demonstrate the range of equipment still available to play vinyl, while the Dogtown Coffee Company and Perch Travelling Boutique will also be on hand along with a silent auction from PCRS.
Local musicians like Gala Vanters, Michael Musclow, Aidan Mayes & Mandy Cole, and Maya Robbie will take to the Burger 55 sponsored stage during the event.
Door prizes, including two tickets to see Loretta Lynn live at the South Okanagan Events Centre, will be drawn throughout the day.
Admission to the event is $2, doors are open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., with a special $5 early bird hour from 9 to 10 a.m. for those who are seeking specific vinyl treasures.
All proceeds from the event will help Peach City Radio bring community radio to the airwaves of Penticton. For more information, contact info@peachcityradio.org or visit them online at peachcityradio.org to listen to the content already created by their team of volunteer broadcasters.