As taken from the Salmon Arm Roots and Blues Festival website
“The Festival
Now in its 20th year, the Salmon Arm Roots and Blues Festival is the largest and most diverse festival in the Interior of British Columbia and has gained a solid reputation for its top quality presentations and organization.
The Festival began in 1992 as a small indoor festival, a result of the Shuswap Coffee House movement of the 1970’s and 80’s, which in 1991 had re-invented itself as the not-for-profit Salmon Arm Folk Music Society. The main goals of the S.A.F.M.S. are to encourage and promote performers from all parts of the world (with a special emphasis on Canadian talent), and to educate audiences to the incredibly diverse genres of music, musical instruments, and the artists who play them. Supporters of the Roots and Blues Festival are directly helping to foster the growth and development of music in our community, country, and by extension, the world.
The Festival takes place on the Salmon Arm Fairgrounds, a beautiful 18 acre park in the centre of Salmon Arm, British Columbia, which is located halfway between Calgary and Vancouver. At night, two stages run simultaneously; the classic Main Stage is at one end of the grounds with the dynamic Boogie Barn Stage at the other end. During the day, six stages run concurrently featuring different genres of music including Blues, World, Alt-Roots, Folk, and Dance, among many others. Amenities include a Family Fun Zone and Stage (kids 12 and under are free), a Global Food Village, an Artisan Market, Beverage Gardens with stage views, pre-registered camping, paid parking and more.
Additionally, Roots and Blues presents a pre-festival community outreach program, Routes and Blues, now in its second year. Routes and Blues offers 8 glorious days of Shuswap exploration, tying regional communities, stops of interest, hikes, various outdoor activities, food, and music together into an experiential smorgasbord.
2012 marks the very special 20th Anniversary of Roots and Blues — a landmark year sure to amp up the celebration. With an incredibly diverse 2012 line-up that crosses cultural boundaries and presents new forms of music while simultaneously embracing the Festival’s roots (& blues!), Roots and Blues 20 promises to be the most spectacular Festival to date. A musical feast with course after course of amazing performance, this year’s program is sure to sate any listener’s appetite. See you in August!
To be included on our mailing list to receive our brochure and our e-newsletter, please purchase a society membership in Ticket purchase section on this website. You can also purchase a membership by phone (250-833-4096) or by email: info@rootsandblues.ca“