The Hyde Creek Community Association (HCCA) is hosting its first ever music festival.
The goal of the music festival is to bring together neighbours and to build a strong sense of community in Hyde Creek and Port McNeill, as well as to raise funds to upgrade the community’s playground and sports field.
The music festival will showcase five Vancouver Island bands, include a beer garden and barbecue as well as promote local crafters and farmers market vendors and will take place in Hyde Creek onAugustt 25 from 4 p.m. to 12.a.m.
The performances will include Littlehead from Nanaimo, Joss and the Alternates from Courtney, and Jasmine Wietzkel from Victoria, as well as Jekyll n’ Hyde and The Shifters from Port McNeill.
‘We are trying to make this a family event,” said organizer Randy Wilson, adding “The firemen are having an open house to show what they do and to give the kids an opportunity to see the fire truck.”
Wilson added that there’s a possibility of getting horse rides for the children organized and they are lining a few people up to do balloons and face painting.
“We are trying to get crafts and vendors involved, Rotary Club is going to do the cooking, and the stage is coming all the way from Victoria,” said Wilson adding that the event will also be a unique opportunity to bring the community in Hyde creek together.
He said the idea to throw a music festival in Hyde Creek actually started because his love of music typically brings a lot of people out to the community.
“I do a music thing all winter long at my house,” explained Wilson, adding “People come from Alert Bay, Sointula, Port Hardy, Port Alice, and Port McNeill and they jam at my place in the winter time on Sundays.”
He said every year the jam-sessions seemed to be getting bigger and bigger.
“Then I had a wrap-up party on my birthday and some people from the Community Association approached me about doing this for them and I said okay but I’ll need some help,” laughed Wilson.
HCCA is seeking sponsorships to support the event, which include platinum, gold, and silver packages which include VIP passes and advertising benefits.
“It takes a lot to put something like this on, and we want to make sure it’s a go - Everyone seems to be really positive about it,” said Wilson adding that they have roughly eight sponsors lined up so far.
Wilson said the Regional District of Mount Waddington has also donated a bus with a hydraulic lift so people in wheelchairs will have the opportunity to attend. The event will also include parking, security, and first aid on site.
Tickets are $20 and available at Hyde Creek Petro-Can and Harbourside PharmaChoice and the music festival will be BYOLC (Bring your own lawn chair).
Wilson said he hopes the Hyde Creek Music Festival will become an annual event in the North Island.