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White Rock music fest aims for outside acts

International music festival will focus on talent outside of the Peninsula.
H&S shot of Janice Savage
Janice Savage is organizing the first White Rock International Music Festival.

Although headliners are yet to be announced, plans are proceeding for the first White Rock International Music Festival, scheduled for the weekend of July 21-22.

Organizer Janice Savage, of Beyond Scarlett Arts and Entertainment Group, said the festival aims to feature all genres of music, from symphonic to rock, pop and jazz on a 30 by 30-foot stage next to the White Rock.

The festival will feature eight or nine acts each day from 1 p.m. till evening.

The emphasis will be on acts from outside of the Peninsula, she said, rather than well-known local groups that likely will be featured during Canada Day celebrations and the Spirit of the Sea Festival.

"We want to get bigger bands – something different," she said. "There will be two headliners, one on Saturday and one on Sunday that are bigger draws."

Sets will be 30-45 minutes in length, Savage said, and the concerts will be free, supported by sponsorships now being sought from within the community.

"It's a way of getting the word out," she said. "We want to do this annually, and I like to do things for the community. If we can, we'll keep it free, or a very minimal charge, in the future."

Savage said the aim is to make the event family-oriented, though there will be no children's entertainers per se.

Another feature of the festival will be the presence of food vendors near the stage area. Noting that the festival is being planned in coordination with the White Rock BIA, Savage said she anticipates that vendors will include a strong representation from – and promotion of – local restaurants.