For the past two years, Sunshine Music Festival has built a new team of organizers and board members, bringing a fresh take to the much-loved event that takes place over Labour Day weekend.
“This year [2023] was big because we had to find a new artistic director,” said festival president France Gendron. “We opened up to finding someone of a younger generation and found a very talented, young person from the music and art scene who brings new and colourful aspects to the festival.”
New artistic director Sophia Sanford grew up on Texada Island and went to school in Powell River. Sanford and her family attended the Sunshine Music Festival every year while growing up on the gulf island.
Sanford’s curation for the 2023 music lineup focuses on local and emerging artists including Raincity, a Vancouver-based glam-rock band fronted by women on saxophone and vocals, and Naduh, a rhythm and blues hip-hop artist. Sunday night ends with The Band Destiny’s Caribbean and reggae vibes creating a party atmosphere on stage.
Gendron a percussionist and musical performer herself, took on the role as president of the festival in order to bring cohesion and proper communication to all key players involved with the two-day event in qathet Regional District.
“The music festival works like a collective, however, with the pandemic, a brand new board and new people organizing, I felt like I needed to be there to assemble people and communicate with everyone involved,” said Gendron. “This is the second year for the new board of directors and they are really rolling and working as a great team.”
Gendron said many of the board members went to the festival as children and took on roles as board members because they didn’t want the festival to die. Most are in their 30s and 40s now.
“It’s really exciting [this year’s festival]; we are going to have yoga in the morning, lots of dancing, diverse music and food,” said Gendron. “The festival is on one of the best local beaches.”
Being a dance teacher as well, Gendron believes music and dance go together and that attendees of the festival will find the experience relaxing, peaceful and welcoming.
Sunshine Music Festival has taken place at Palm Beach Regional Park for the past four decades. To see the music lineup for September 2 and 3, and find tickets, go to sunshinemusicfest.ca/tag/smf-2023.
“Don’t forget to bring your beach gear for a few dips in the ocean, and please leave pets at home,” said Gendron. “Our festival is planned and produced by a passionate team of amazing volunteers and is a zero-waste event. We are asking everyone to bring their own cups and limit garbage as much as possible.”
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