ZOOM | SPRING 2024

the sunshine coast magazine
P
ender 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 highquality
music, the careful organization, and the generous enthusiasm of the
hosting venues.
This year will be the 19 th 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.”
DAVID GIFFORD ALI PENKO
GORDON McCAW
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.
spring 2024 25