Revelstoke, British Columbia CANADA – The Revelstoke Arts Council will postpone Revelstoke Summer Street Fest and LUNA Art Festival 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated physical distancing restrictions that are imposed in British Columbia.
In response to Dr. Henry’s recent announcement that large events such as parades will not be happening this summer, the City of Revelstoke must also adhere to BC’s directives regarding public gatherings of over 50 people.
The positive impacts of these festivals are felt beyond the months they occur by contributing to Revelstoke’s reputation as an artistic and cultural destination. Meghan Tabor from Tourism Revelstoke notes “Events such as LUNA are critical to our tourism strategy and the recovery of our tourism industry. They play a key role in bolstering community and civic pride in Revelstoke. We hope to work with the Revelstoke Arts Council to continue to host events in accordance with provincial health directives when the time is right.”
A summer night in Revelstoke’s iconic Grizzly Plaza has become synonymous with Street Fest. Over the last 30 years, this free outdoor concert series has evolved into an important part of our culture and identity. By animating the downtown core, Street Fest punctuates a shared gathering place for tourists to intermingle with local residents. Street Fest unites us through the enjoyment of the Arts, bringing considerable traffic to the doorsteps of local businesses. Ingrid Bron, Director of Community Economic Development, notes that “events and festivals are key economic drivers for us, providing benefits not just to local merchants and accommodators, but for all members of the community through these shared experiences.”
The 4th LUNA Festival is set to be the biggest of the series to date, with a 13 band line-up for LUNA SOUND, 40 art installations, roving performers and live performances spread over 3 stages. The Arts Council is committed to these artists and performers and once a later festival date is secured, look forward to welcoming them from as far away as White Horse, Yellowknife and Iqualuit.
“Our community pours so much effort into these events and we all look forward to them. It is difficult to imagine summer and fall without these festivals; they will be sorely missed. However, the safety of our community and visitors is paramount at this time. Moving forward we will continue to work closely with our partners at the City of Revelstoke and Tourism Revelstoke to ensure our organization is well-positioned to produce these Festivals in the future”, states Miriam Manley, Executive Director of the Revelstoke Arts Council. “We remain hopeful for positive future developments that might re-invigorate the projects of Revelstoke Arts Council and arts and cultural organisations across the Province and continue to inspire our community.”
The Arts Council remains committed to programming which fosters creative excellence in our community. They recently launched Revelstoke Reflections an online Forum and Art Prize with the Revelstoke Mountaineer. The Arts Council also plans to keep the magic of LUNA alive in the community through the upcoming Art Alleries public art project. Follow along at lunafest.ca.
