BLUES AND ROOTS FEST: Growing event expands to three days
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Updated: July 16, 2009 12:43 PM
To mark its 10th year, the Burnaby Blues and Roots Festival is expanding to a three-day event, from Friday, Aug. 7 to Sunday, Aug. 9. The main event will still be a ticketed festival on Aug. 9 comprising two stages at Deer Lake Park, which this year features the legendary Smokey Robinson as its headliner. Since its first year in 2000, when the festival drew a crowd of 1,500, it has grown to the point organizers expect more than 6,500 at Deer Lake Park this year. Live blues music will also be featured Aug. 7 and 8 at an additional nine venues at local pubs and restaurants, says Matthew Coyne, executive director of Tourism Burnaby, which has helped organize the expanded lineup.
Q: Why the decision to expand the festival this year?
A: Tourism Burnaby was part of a small delegation with the City of Burnaby to the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in late April where we tried to identify growth opportunities for our own event. One of the things that was so evident was that beyond the actual festival site there were other venues throughout the city that played jazz music which helped make it a multi-day event.
Q: What does having the additional venues bring to the overall festival?
A: It brings a greater accessibility for music and the blues. It brings excitement to the city, it makes the event become city-wide, not just at Deer Lake Park. The additional days makes it something we can market and package for residents and visitors.
Q: What are the additional venues on Aug. 7 and 8?
A: Crystal Bar and Grille, EBO Restaurant, the Kingsway and Lougheed locations of Earls Restaurant, The Great Bear Pub, Marine Pub, Metropolis at Metrotown, Mountain Shadow Pub and Station Square Pub.
Q: What is the cost of the shows at these venues?
A: With the exception of Station Square Pub, which will have a cover charge, all others will be free to the general public.
Q: Who was the target audience for the additional shows?
A: It’s everything from traditional blues to some rock-blues to even jazzy-blues. It’s going to appeal to music enthusiasts and those who are just interested in a good time with a night out, enjoying some good food and staying in Burnaby. You don’t have to be that true blues aficionado.
Q: What do you hope to see from the blues festival over the next 10 years?
A: We’d love to have the Deer Lake festival performing to its fullest capacity, which is around 10,000 to 12,000. We’d love to see a vibrant and full scene among all the participating venues that are playing outside the actual Deer Lake venue. We’d love to see the event grow to 10 days, over two weekends.
