It’s funny, if you look from box to box, it’s kind of like comparing apples to oranges.

Perhaps that’s why Kelowna’s annual apple box paint-in isn’t a competition but a reason for folks of all ages to get out and get those sweet juices of creativity flowing.

For five years running, the paint-in has been a Canada Day staple, sure to catch the eye of anyone passing by the Kelowna Art Gallery en route to check out the festivities.

“Because it’s Canada Day we usually have some Canada-themed bins,” organizer Shauna Oddleifson said.

Originally the brainchild of the program director for the gallery, back when it was housed in the basement of the Kelowna Museum, the paint-in has been running for a total of eight years now—though the first three were not done in conjunction with the national birthday.

Every year participants are given carte blanche to break out their right-brain flights of fancy and paint to their hearts content.

The boxes are kept out around the gallery for the summer until they are returned to the packing house to go back out into the fields come fall.

Drive down Clement next harvest season and you’ll find their colourful pictures piled mile high outside the warehouse—and you might even get lucky and pick one out of the East Kelowna fields.

All of the boxes had not been claimed by press time for this event, although the gallery was hoping for a full roster come the painting party, which takes place at the gallery at the corner of Cawston and Water Street.

There is no cost to participate in the Apple Bin painting, but this year the Kelowna Art Gallery is partnering with the Kelowna Community Food Bank for its annual Christmas in July Campaign, asking that all participants bring a non-perishable food item to be donated.

The event goes from 10 a.m. to noon, and the gallery exhibition spaces will be open and free to the public from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Visitors are also encouraged to bring a non-perishable food item for the Kelowna Community Food Bank when visiting the finished apple box renderings.