The start of June marks the beginning of another busy summer of live music and other activities with the City of Campbell River (the City) in Spirit Square. Lunch in the Square concerts are back every Tuesday at noon, beginning June 6, 2023, while the River Concerts series will take place on Wednesday evenings from June 7 to July 12 and Friday evenings from July 21 to September 1, 2023.
Lunch in the Square kicks off with roots and blues groove master Luke Blu Guthrie, who will perform from noon to 1:15 p.m. on Tuesday, June 6. Cortes Island folk collective, the Awakeneers, play on June 13, Comox-Valley Cuban-Canadian duo Sweet SantaFe performs on June 20, and blues quartet Tightrope return on June 27. Performers for July and August include local favourites Doug Folkins, Anela Kahiamoe, piano man Doc Fingers, Celtic singer Mary Murphy, and old-time band Whiskey Mayhem. The City's Lunch in the Square programming is sponsored by the Downtown BIA.
The City’s River Concerts, sponsored by 99.7 The River, will launch at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, June 7. Campbell River youth, who have been honing their craft at sold-out teen open-stage events held at Rivercity Stage over the past six months, open the event series; come and support the future of music in Campbell River music on, June 7! June 14 is Big Band Night featuring more local youth with the Carihi Big Band, directed by Kolya Kowalchuk, as well as the Strathcona Big Band under the direction of Erin Dwyer. On June 28, the community welcomes the first touring performer of the year as Robin Layne and the Rhythm Makers take to the stage. Fresh from a performance at the Tofino Jazz Festival, the Vancouver-based marimba master and his band will have Spirit Square dancing to Latin grooves. Party band, Time Well Wasted, and Vancouver Island MusicFest performers, Polky, will also perform in the coming weeks.
There is no River Concert on Wednesday, June 21, as the Laichwiltach Family Life Society hosts National Indigenous Peoples’ Day celebrations in Spirit Square that day.
CR Live Streets will take over Wednesday night fun downtown from July 19 to August 30, with Rockin’ River Country Night kicking off the celebrations. The River Concerts series will move to Friday nights from July 21 and will include Winnipeg hip-hop band Super Duty Tough Work and Texas guitarist and songwriter and recent Campbell River resident Jeff Plankenhorn.
2023 is the second summer that music is being programmed for the City of Campbell River by Lucas Schuller of Highway 19 Concerts. River Concerts are also supported by Coastal Community Credit Union, the Anchor Inn & Suites, the Province of BC through the BC Touring Council, and Destination Campbell River.
The full Spirit Square lineup can be found at spiritsquare.ca and all City events are viewable at campbellriver.ca/upcomingevents. Follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/Campbellriverrec and facebook.com/CRspiritsquare to stay up to date with all City events this summer.
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Contacts:
Meghan Lawley, City of Campbell River Recreation & Culture Supervisor | 250-203-8295 | meghan.lawley@campbellriver.ca
Lucas Schuller, Highway 19 Concert Society | 250-287-6542 | hwy19concerts@gmail.com
SUMMER MUSIC LINE UP ANNOUNCED FOR SPIRIT SQUARE - NEWS RELEASE - MAY 2023