Nelson will be hosting a kick off celebration ahead of this year’s Culture Days. Project Coordinator Stephanie Myers explains this is a one-time event happening in the city. “Every year Culture Days chooses one city in every province to sort of be their launch site for the weekend at the end of September. This year Nelson was chosen. The Nelson District Arts Council, Nelson Kootenay Lake Tourism, and the Civic Theatre sent them a letter earlier in the year proposing we be the site and we are the winners.”
A ‘Kootenay culture’ focused event starts in the Hall Street Plaza on Wednesday, September 19 at 4:00pm. Myers describes some of the highlights. “We’re going to be having speakers. Our host at that site is going to be Janice Gigmore. We’re going to be having acknowledgements from the First Nations. Pat Henman will be speaking, the Kilties are playing, In the Sticks are playing. Oxygen Orchestra will lead us on a parade down the new muralled alleys down to City Hill.”
She says it doesn’t stop there.
“Tons of different performers down there as well. Hulahoopers, and the Rythm Roapers, jugglers, Kelly Shpeley will be doing some live painting. The Atco puppets will be there. We’re doing a flash mob.”
City Hall’s events get started at 5:00pm with dignitaries and speeches as well.
Culture Days takes place September 28-30 where the public is invited to discover the “behind the scenes” world of artists, creators, heritage experts, curators, designers and other creative people in Nelson. You can visit the website and search Nelson under the Activities tab to see what’s happening locally.