Creative Culture
Painters, potters, musicians and other creative types have all drawn their inspiration from the beautiful natural surroundings. Here in West Kelowna lies a cultural community that showcases their works and talents through a revolving series of showings and concerts at venues such as our wineries, parks or public buildings like the museum, library or RCMP building.
We may not have formal art museums and concert halls, but we do things Okanagan style here. Concerts more often than it are held outdoors at a winery or at a park while art showings are often paired with wine with the local wineries.
Outdoor Concerts
If you love sitting outdoors and listening to music, then you need to stop by Music in the Park. This free community concert series takes place every Friday night in July & August with a different theme being featured each week. The kids love it because there is a big open field next to the stage with tons of fun things for them to do. The adults love it, because there is a big open field next to the stage with tons for fun things for the kids to do (compliments of the Recreation department). All the other adults love it because all the kids are happily enjoying the big open field, while they can enjoy the sounds of music under the summer Okanagan sky. Each performance takes place between 6:45 pm – 9 pm in Memorial Park (next to Johnson Bentley Aquatic Centre) on 3737 Old Okanagan Hwy in West Kelowna.
The wineries of the Westside Wine Trail are also known to host afternoon and evening entertainment, with the most highly anticipated one being Mission Hill Family Estate’s Summer Concert Series. In the past, artists such as Chris Botti, Chris Isaak, Lyle Lovett and LeAnne Rimes have performed in the spectacular outdoor amphitheater overlooking Lake Okanagan.
Visual Arts
Every summer the talents of local artists are showcased over two weekends in the annual Art in the Park event. The first weekend the artists gather at a winery and visitors are able to wander down the pathway of manicured vines to the art tents, while on the second weekend the artists set up along the lakefront at Rotary Park in the Gellatly Bay Waterfront Area.
But why wait until summer to enjoy our artists and their works? Many have studios that are open to the public. The Westside Studio Tour offers visitors a chance to do a self-guided tour of the different studios and galleries year round!
Top 5 Things Cultural Addicts Won’t to Miss!
1. A trip to the longest running live music show in the Okanagan Valley – the Westbank Opry. http://www.westbankcountryopry.com/dates.html
2. The chance to see artists at work in their own environment with a self-guided tour of the Westside Studio Tour.
3. Immerse yourself in a mural and sculpture tour. Sculptures featuring our First Nation culture and heritage along with sculptures from the 2002 Okanagan Thompson International Sculptural Symposium can be seen throughout the community.
4. The work of local artists can be found at many unexpected places in our community, such as the public library and wineries.
5. Enroll in a class! Basketweaving workshops, Vine Spheres, painting, drawing and creative self-expression classes are available. We even have plein aire groups that get together!
