Photo: Geoff Campbell

There will be no shortage of events during Culture Days in Kelowna this weekend.

In all, 55 events have been registered on the Culture Days website.

From art, to music, to theatre, there will be something to whet anyone's artistic palate.

Most events will take place in and around the city's downtown Culture District.

The three-day, national event, celebrating Canada's diverse cultural mix, runs from Friday, Sept. 30, through Sunday, Oct. 2.

“Culture Days is a feast of educational and outside-the-box arts and culture experiences that only happen once a year,” said Sandra Kochan, Kelowna's cultural services manager.

“Event organizers are really expanding our cultural horizons, with activities ranging from a presentation about the history of architecture to salsa dancing. You don’t even need to commit to a specific event to catch the Culture Days vibe – take a walk downtown or through the Cultural District and you’ll see art in storefront windows, open doors and a truly vibrant atmosphere."

Kochan said all events are free, and many activities are designed for families.

The weekend is jam-packed, starting with an open viewing of Ballet Kelowna’s Friday morning class at 9 a.m. right through to operatic performances on Sunday evening.

The city will also offer two-hour Cultural District walking tours on Friday and Saturday, a repeat of very successful tours which were offered during July and August.

“One would think that only out-of-town visitors would be interested in these tours, but our tracking indicates that about 25 per cent of attendees were local,” said Kochan.

“We love sharing the story of the district and maybe we’ve inspired some new local experts who will now feel quite comfortable showing people around and passing the story along."

Kochan encourages people to step outside their comfort zone this weekend and try something new.

"How often do you get a chance to help create a hotel for bees, experience a traditional tea ceremony in Kasugai Gardens, or try out amazing multicultural dances like Egyptian, Hawaiian or Flamenco?

"About two million Canadians take part each year – and 98 per cent of them were happy they did!”
 
Click here for a complete list of events in Kelowna and a link to other events going on around the Okanagan.