Avid fans of blues, roots and folk rock have just a few weeks to go before one of the region's most popular music events kicks off at Deer Lake Park in neighbouring Burnaby.
The Burnaby Blues and Roots Festival is set for Saturday, Aug. 11 from 2 to 10 p.m. Headliners are the Indigo Girls, the American folk duo of Amy Ray and Emily Saliers.
The lineup also includes blues guitarist Jimmie Vaughn, older brother of the late Stevie Ray Vaughn; Mamadu and Mariam, a duo from Mali; American blues/jazz artist Kelly Joe Phelps; singer/songwriter, rapper and bassist Meshell Ndegeocello; as well as Canadian bands Deep Dark Woods, the Washboard Union and No Sinner.
Last year about 8,000 people attended the festival, with k.d. lang being the major draw as headliner.
This year, organizers expect to see about 5,000 in attendance.
"It's kind of a much more musician-centred festival this year," said Cory Philley, facility and event services coordinator for the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts. "The Indigo Girls are definitely the headliners and we love them to bits, but they're not necessarily a k.d. lang, who could sell tickets just on her own. So you're really buying into the whole program, and there's some really great musicians that are coming, and a variety of them; anything that could appeal from 20-somethings to 60somethings."
Besides the variety of musical talent on stage, the festival also features artisan displays, food vendors, and a kids' arts activity zone from 3: 30 to 7: 30 p.m. for the youngest members of the crowd.
Philley said the event draws many locals, but also visitors from the U.S. and Alberta as well.
"People come out on a Friday night and they're just going to spend the weekend in Vancouver, essentially," she said. "So they come for the festival for the day and then go on to do other things on the Sunday in Burnaby and in the Lower Mainland. It really becomes sort of a destination for a lot of people."
With several thousand people in attendance, Philley said organizers have upgraded regulations for this year's event to make sure the atmosphere is as enjoyable and fun as possible for everyone in attend-ance.
New for this year is the maximum size of coolers, at 56 cm long, 38 cm high, and 38 cm wide.
Also new for this year, no chairs with seats higher than 20 cm will be allowed.
Deer Lake Park has general admission lawn seating with no reserved seats.
Gates open at 12: 30 p.m., and the show starts at 2 p.m. The west gate closes at 6 p.m., and the main gate closes at 9 p.m.
Parking near Deer Lake Park is limited during the festival, therefore organizers encourage ticket holders to use alternative modes of transportation such as taxis, carpools, bicycles and public transit.
There are bike racks on site, and there will be a free shuttle bus service available from the BCIT campus (pay parking in effect).
Advance single tickets are $70 and a pack of four is $200. On the day of the festival, single tickets will be available for $75. Children 12-and-under get in free with an adult.
Call the box office at 604-205-3000, or visit www. burnabybluesfestival.com.
