Kelowna's annual Kiwanis Festival has been cancelled again, organizers look forward to 2022

Photo: File photo

What would have been the 95th annual Kelowna Kiwanis Festival has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The festival celebrates amateur performing artists in the Okanagan.

“When we heard last Thursday that Dr. Bonnie Henry was extending restrictions on gatherings for another month, the board had no choice but to cancel, disappointing many young participants who are starved for opportunities to perform,” says board president Zonia Arnold.

The festival was originally set to start its dance events at the end of February was also cancelled last year in March when the pandemic first erupted.

All of the 2020 dance events and a portion of the choral events were completed before the festival was cancelled. This meant many other events in music and voice disciplines were not able to happen.

This has resulted in a significant number of young performers missing out on the Kiwanis experience for two years in a row.

Organizers are now planning for the 2022 festival.

“When it is safe to gather again after we all get the vaccine, I look forward to delivering the best Kelowna Kiwanis Festival ever,” says Kiwanis Festival executive director Dr. Stephen Berg.

The festival is a dance, voice and music event that welcomes amateur performing artists. It also includes performance reviews by professional adjudicators from throughout Canada.

The Kiwanis Festival also provides opportunities for awards, scholarships and the chance to perform at a Gala Concert.

The festival usually runs from March until May and it has previously provided more than $10,000 in scholarships and awards, hosting nearly 3,000 participants and 5,000 audience members.