Pender Harbour’s annual Blues Festival is coming! June 7, 8, and 9 will bring delighted audiences and performers to our beautiful area of lakes, coves, and forests. Our local community is proud to welcome visitors to enjoy the high-quality music, the careful organization, and the generous enthusiasm of the hosting venues.
This year will be the 19th annual Blues Festival. The popular festival got its start at the Garden Bay Pub, where proprietors Ron and Marita Johnson founded, supported, and hosted the festival in the early years. Shows were held at the pub until 2015, when the music moved to the Madeira Park Legion.
Marilyn Macleod has been President of the Pender Harbour Blues Society since 2011. She says that while the pandemic years were of course a setback for the festival, the audience had been growing, and she expects this year to be back to normal attendance. In her words:
“Yes, I do see the festival growing each year. Covid was a big step back for us; having to cancel the festival for two years was really difficult . . . I’m hopeful this year we will be filling all the seats again.”
Blues music is popular all year round, up and down the Coast, and the Pender Harbour Blues Society has many members, both musicians and fans. When we think of the Blues, we tend to think of a certain vibe, earthy grittiness, and male musicians. Macleod confirms that the performers this year are predominantly male. But women are represented! While they are still confirming the line-up for this year’s festival, Macleod says there will be at least two women performing: the luminous Joani Bye, from North Vancouver, and the incredible Diana Braithwaite, all the way from Toronto. Trevor Sully Antonyk will again be hosting the Saturday afternoon show and a fabulous House Band consisting of Chris Nordquist, Tim Hearsey, Rob Becker, Jerry Cook, and Darryl Havers will be backing the headliners.
Macleod has enjoyed the audience’s reactions over the years. She predicts that the many new families to our area are in for a surprise:
“It is really nice to see the new faces at our events, many of them younger: 30-50. (Remember when you thought 50 was old!) They are impressed by the calibre of talent that comes to our little community.”
Macleod, the Blues Society’s Board, and the many volunteers love what the festival offers:
“I could go on and on for ever; I just love the festival and feel so honoured to be involved with organizing it for all these years. We have an awesome Board and Volunteers that all work so great together, it’s a real pleasure! I must also mention Edmund Arceo, who does an amazing job with our website and poster designs. I’d be lost without him!”
This year watch for nightly shows and an All-star Jam at the Legion in Madeira Park, plus a Saturday night dance at the Community Hall. The popular Sunday morning Gospel Show will be held as usual at the School of Music. The Painted Boat will have two dinner shows nightly on Friday and Saturday, and the Backeddy Pub will also have dinner shows Friday and Saturday nights. An outdoor Saturday afternoon concert with multiple acts will take place behind the Community Hall. Wherever you live in our widespread community, the Blues are coming to a venue near you.
Editor’s Note: The Sunshine Coast music community mourns the passing of Ron Johnston, founder of the Pender Harbour Blues Society. This year’s festival is dedicated to his memory.
