Join the 9th Annual Ryga Arts Festival this week
Celebrating music, theatre, and words, Summerland’s Ryga Arts Festival puts the final touches on its 9th annual festival.
“We continue to be inspired by the works and vision of George Ryga and have put together an incredible blend of performances and presentations this year,” says General Manager Trista Bassett. “Everyone is welcome to celebrate creativity and inclusivity at a wide variety of events around Summerland.”
It opens 6 pm, Thursday, September 18 at the George Ryga Arts and Cultural Centre, Summerland. Performances, workshops, and community conversations are scheduled at the Summerland Branch of the Okanagan Regional Library, Pamplemousse Jus Winery, Summerland Alliance Church, St. Stephen’s Anglican Church, Summerland’s Centre Stage Theatre, and at several locations in downtown Summerland as part of a Theatre Trail.
“Theatre Trail is a unique event featuring live theatre performances at different locations around the city for 10-minute plays,” explains Bassett. “At each stop theatre goers will enjoy performances while exploring hidden gems along the way.”
Many events are free to register and attendees who can are encouraged to donate in support of the festival and the artists. Other events have nominal ticket prices ranging from $10 to $35.
One of many highlights this year is Jake’s Gift. This multi-award-winning, one-woman performance tells the story of a WWII veteran’s reluctant return to Normandy to find the grave of his eldest brother. Written by and starring Julia Mackey, this is an excellent choice for audiences, as 2024 marks the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
Other features include Bringing the Salmon Home, a short documentary film that shares the story of the Syilx Okanagan, Secwépemc, and Ktunaxa Nations who uphold their sacred responsibility to reintroduce salmon to the Columbia River; plus a one-man play, The Ballad of Georges Boivin, the story of a cross-country road trip from Québec to Vancouver searching for a first love; and a performance by the Kym Gouchie Duo, taking the audience on a cultural journey rich with ancestral memories and melodies that inspire ‘the child in all of us’.
The Ryga Festival aims to advance appreciation of the arts by organizing and staging an annual arts and cultural festival in Summerland that honours George Ryga, following Ryga’s inspiration to foster creativity and creative expression in any art form. Most of George Ryga’s plays, such as The Ecstasy of Rita Joe, deal with social justice issues. There was always music, discussion, and a lively exchange of ideas in the Ryga household, and the Ryga family always welcomed visitors from near and far to their family home surrounded by orchards in Summerland.
Buy Ryga Festival tickets with family and friends to ignite your cultural conversation.
