Everything is in place for the 2023 Parks Alive Summer Music Series.
Every Friday from July 21 through Aug. 25, a new family-friendly musical act will be performing live in Centennial Park. Sponsored and organized by David Jurek and the RE/MAX 100 team, the concert series is completely free for the public to attend.
“We originally started the series in 2019, and I did that because I moved here from Kelowna and we used to do that in Kelowna,” Jurek said. “It’s back now for the third time, with a three-year hiatus in the middle (due to COVID). It was well received the last couple of times we’ve done it, and it’s nice to have something coming up that people can enjoy in 100 Mile.”
Jurek noted that the District of 100 Mile House didn’t have enough staff this year to help run the event, though they still sponsored it.
Performances begin at 6 p.m. every Friday and run until 8 p.m.; an extension of the hour-and-a-half format of previous years. Jurek said they want to encourage people to stay in the park longer, and there will be two to three food trucks set up by the stage every night.
He added that on some nights they have two bands scheduled to perform, as a way to get more musical talent on the stage. Acts were selected by Rob Fry from Cariboo Radio who contacted several different bands.
“We actually had a lot of locals reach out who wanted to perform for Parks Alive, so we tried to accommodate everybody we could. We also reached out to a few bands from last year who were big hits and asked them to come back,” Jurek said. “We also had a couple of new bands we came across over the last few months that we thought would be fun to have.”
Kicking off the summer on July 21 are Williams Lake’s Cole Patenaude and the Screech Owls. The Owls bring a unique mix of blues and rock and roll with a soulful twist.
On July 28 the Markabillies are making the trip down to 100 Mile House from Williams Lake. This longtime Cariboo band specializes in rock and roll, so attendees can dance the night away. Following them will be hometown country musician Joe Bailey and his band.
Friday, Aug. 4 is another double feature, with Wild Pigeon and Ghostly Hounds both taking to the stage. The Pigeons are made up of local artists, while the Hounds hail from Pender Island.
Three Scotch In will be entertaining the crowd on Aug. 11. This Okanagan-based band plays a mix of original music and covers of popular songs.
On Aug. 18 the Blue Wranglers are coming up from Clinton and are bringing their bluegrass country music vibe with them. The Blue Wranglers have become a popular fixture at South Cariboo events over the last three years.
The concert series will come to an end on Friday, Aug. 25 with a band that has yet to be named.
Jurek said he enjoys watching the town come together and have fun at events like Parks Alive. He is hopeful the entire community takes the opportunity to come to the park this summer and have a good time.
“Bring your chair, come out, and plan for a good time.”
patrick.davies@100milefreepress.net
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