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Vernon festival kicks off Culture Days events across BC

Festival culture days kickoff

Vernon will be the launch city for Culture Days activities across B.C.

Culture Days is a national celebration of arts and culture and will run over three weeks in September.

Sheri Kunzli, marketing co-ordinator for the Arts Council of the North Okanagan, says Vernon was asked to be the launch city due to its strong level of participation last year.

"It's a celebration across the nation ... we were asked to be launch city after being ninth in all of Canada for number of events in the city last year," says Kunzli.

"We've put together a one-day festival in Polson Park to kick off the events."

The festival on Sept. 23 will go all day, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., with morning events for children and families followed by adult events in the evening.

"There will be music all day with local performers," says Kunzli.

The Polson Artisan Market will also be taking place at the same time, with an all-day market instead of the usual evening one, so there will be lots of action in the park.

Through the day, there will be about 30 activity tents set up, with everything from hands-on art projects for kids, educational stations about salmon and indigenous heritage, art demonstrations, face painting, balloon animal making, calligraphy and live painting by local artists.

Organizations such as the Caetani House, Vernon Community Arts Centre, Allan Brooks Nature Centre, and Okanagan Science Centre will also have booths, as will Vernon Tourism.

The festival is free to attend, and all Culture Days events over the following three weeks are free or "pay as you may."

"There will be lots going on throughout the community," says Kunzli.

On Sept. 30, events will also be themed around the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

Events continue until Oct. 16.

Numerous events are already on the Culture Days events page, and more are being planned, says Kunzli.

There is still space for more participants and sponsors, and anyone interested can contact Kunzli at [email protected] or 250-542-6243 for more information.



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