Killarney Guide

2nd Annual Sights & Sounds Arts & Music Festival returns to Heritage Home for the Arts July 29-31

BY KIM LANGEN

After some outstanding performances last year, the Sights & Sounds Arts & Music Festival is returning to the arts centre grounds next weekend.

The big event includes three days of live music, culture, artisan shopping, and cool food trucks, and will run from Friday, July 29 to Sunday, July 31, said arts administrator Jane Ireland. 

“It’s going to be fantastic,” said Ireland. “Our headliners include Sam Polley and the Old Tomorrows on Friday night – Sam is Jim Cuddy’s son (Blue Rodeo), and the opener is Red Moon Road. Saturday is country artist Jerry Sereda, who is part of the Indigenous tour, and his openers will include a number of emerging artists, and some workshops too. On Sunday it’s the Bromantics, an old style swing band, and they open with Banda Taverna, a Brazilian group that plays Irish Celtic music. It is going to be quite a mix!”

An alluring artisan market will also be arranged nearby, at the Agricultural Building area, where a number of creative vendors will be laying out a wide array of items for sale, which include handmade clothing, soaps, beeswax products, hand-woven towels, artwork, botanical ceramics, dyed fabrics, resin jewellery, an arts table featuring works of gallery artists, and much more. Entrance to this market is free. 

Near the festival site, food trucks will be parking up with their tempting fare, including the popular Los Brothers and their Mexican menu. New this year will also be a beer garden, said Ireland, with coolers on offer, and other relaxing items to imbibe…! (Make sure to bring cash for the beer garden and food trucks).

Access to all the events – the festival, the food trucks, and the artisan market – is through the agricultural grounds main entrance on Water Avenue, just south of the art gallery. Access to the Heritage Home for the Arts itself will be closed off, and patrons will enter from the parking lot area in the ag grounds through a gateway. 

The food trucks, a canteen run by the grads, the artisan market (with eight vendors), and a children’s play area near the food trucks, is all free access to the public, and does not require a festival pass.

In addition, transport to the festival site is being supplied to seniors for free, said Ireland.

“The handi-van is available, for free, to transport seniors, who can be picked up at their homes,” she said. “The service is being sponsored by a kind donor, and to book a ride, people can call me in advance at 1-431-734-0394.”

Festival passes (day and weekend options) are available in advance (best prices are the advance tickets!) from Lewis and Jones, 532 Broadway Ave.; at Heritage Home for the Arts, 44 Water Avenue; and online through Eventbrite. 

You can also purchase passes for the day, or weekend, at the gate (cash only).

See more information on the three-day festival, including ticket pricing, below.

ENTERTAINING AL SIMMONS TO MC AT SIGHTS AND SOUNDS – The comedic and talented Al Simmons is returning as MC for this year’s Sights and Sounds Arts and Music Festival, taking place July 29-31. Here he is at last year’s festival, cracking up the crowd at the Heritage Home for the Arts grounds. See this year’s lineup of artists below, along with more highlights from last year’s show.

RED MOON ROAD – Powerful vocalist Sheena Rattai, along with musicians Daniel Jordan and Daniel Peloquin-Hopfner of Winnipeg’s Red Moon Road, will be smashing the concert door open with an outstanding performance during Friday night’s start of the Sights and Sounds Arts and Music Festival.

SAM POLLEY & THE OLD TOMORROWS – Headlining on Friday night at the Sights & Sounds Festival is the Toronto band, Sam Polley and the Old Tomorrows. Sam Polley (seated above) is the son of Jim Cuddy of Blue Rodeo fame. His band draws their sound from 50’s and 60’s rockabilly licks, old country twang, and even Motown swing.

JERRY SEREDA – Manitoba Parkland native and ‘man of the land’ Jerry Sereda is the high-powered closing act on Saturday night at the festival. With his grooving, chill, and high-test driving country style and lyrics he promises to bring the house down.

THE BROMANTICS – Plan on twisting the night away when Saskatchewan six-piece The Bromantics close out Sunday night’s fabulous festival lineup. These guys bring on a youthful revitalization of the 1950s, with brilliant brass tones, doo-wop harmonies, and those lyrics that you never forget to sing along to.

Loads of talent at first annual Sights & Sounds Arts & Music Festival

August 2021

JUST A LITTLE HEAT – Despite a rainy start and finish to the first annual Sights & Sounds Arts & Music Festival, the weather on Saturday night was just right as headliner Del Barber played ‘Just A Little Heat’ for the audience. Saturday wrapped up without any rain, before the downpour returned on Sunday.

DRUMMING RAIN AND SUNSHINE MIX – Above, Winnipeg’s incredible Japanese drumming group, Fubuki Daiko, helps set up the stage on Sunday afternoon as torrential rain pours off the big tent. “I think once folks realize the calibre of entertainment we are bringing to Killarney and the area, we will see a pretty big increase in attendance next year,” said Jane Ireland. “Harvest Moon had torrential rains for their first year as well, and I think that bodes well for us for 2022.”

RAINY KICK OFF – Becky Lou kicked off the festival entertainment on a rainy Friday night under the tent.

WHISKEY KNOWS – Desiree Dorion (above) belts out ‘Whiskey Knows’ at the final show on Friday night. Singer/songwriter Kristen Mckay (below) preceded her.

AL SIMMONS TO THE RESCUE – The ever-entertaining Al Simmons tours the festival grounds at Heritage Home for the Arts with his horse on Saturday afternoon. Saturday was the only rain-free day for the festival, which boasted an abundance of talent, including the festival’s MC, Al Simmons, who also took to the stage (below) for a harmonica solo with Saturday headliner Del Barber.

JONNY MOONBEAM – From left: Kenzie Jane (A.K.A. Mackie) and Courtney Devon Krebsbach join jonny moonbeam as they kick off the Saturday performances.

MONDAY TO FRIDAY IDIOTS – From left: Rafael Reyes, Joe Stover, and Killarney’s own Tim Friesen of the Monday to Friday Idiots perform Saturday.

ARTS AND MUSIC AT THE HERITAGE HOME – Attendance may have been stymied by torrential rain last weekend for the first annual Sights and Sounds Arts and Music Festival held on the grounds of the Heritage Home for the Arts, but the quality of performers was stellar. Above: Al Simmons plays the banjo, with sound effects from a willing audience member, while budding artists quickly paint up a portrait on Sunday afternoon just before Fubuki Daiko took the stage. “Our audiences may have been small this year, but they were mighty,” said Jane Ireland, arts administrator and festival organizer. “The performers all commented on how amazing it was to play to a smaller audience; more intimate, and certainly just as appreciative, if not more, as a larger audience.”

BLIZZARD DRUMS – Fubuki Daiko, Japanese for ‘Blizzard Drums,’ took the stage on Sunday afternoon for an electrifying show of Taiko drumming. The Winnipeg-based band was stunningly powerful, despite having not performed in public for 1.5 years due to COVID-19 restrictions. From left they are: Hiroshi Koshiyama, Giselle Mak, Naomi Guilbert, and Bruce Robertson. Hiroshi (below) performs a Lion Dance, even “biting” some members of the audience for good luck.

JAY STRUTH/KILLARNEY GUIDE PHOTOS

KIM LANGEN/KILLARNEY GUIDE PHOTOS

CLOSING OUT THE CONCERTS – Country folk singer Lucien Spence capped off the concerts Sunday night.