Salamander festival coming to Rideau Park

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This article was published 23/05/2023 (919 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Hoping for great weather and an even better turnout, organizers say they’re excited to announce the inaugural Salamander Summer Music Festival coming to Brandon’s Rideau Park in July.

With a Manitoba-centric lineup of musicians, the festival will also feature food trucks, a beer garden, vendor village with artisans and crafters, and a kids’ area for workshops and age-appropriate activities, said Jen Watson, committee member and volunteer co-ordinator.

“Rideau Park has everything,” Watson said. “Outside is the playground and splash park, and then inside there’s a natural hill, so we’re going to put our stage at the bottom of that. There’s almost a natural amphitheatre built into the east side of the park. On the other side, there’s good shade, and a pavilion that’s already built in there for our artists, artisans and vendor tables. So, the way it’s laid out, it just makes so much sense.”

Friday night’s schedule co-presented with Brandon Pride and features performances by the House of Hex and headliner Kilusan, a Winnipeg-based, filipinx queer non-binary artist, educator and community organizer.

The theme for Saturday is Local Love and includes performances by the Young Pixels, Julianna Moore, Zach Weston/ Beauty & The Beard, Lyon-I, Full Flannel Jacket, the Michelle Boudreau Band and headliner Vertigo/Matt Cory Band.

The festival’s final day, Sunday, will feature Flamenco on the Prairies and Shameless Folk, and closing out the weekend will be Winnipeg-based alternative rock group Attica Riots.

Watson said neighbours of Rideau Park have been consulted with hand-delivered letters as part of the city’s permit process, which states no noise after 11 p.m., which Watson said they’ll adhere to and added Sunday’s events will be wrapped up before 6 p.m.

“We want to be courteous of the neighbourhood while bringing something to the area that people will enjoy and want to go to,” Watson said.

The name of the festival, Salamander, has ties to the coat of arms and crest that was given to Brandon in 1882, according to the Governor General of Canada’s website, and is one of the reasons why it was selected by the 2023 committee, said Watson.

“Salamanders were quite often put in heraldry in flames. It was believed they were immortal and impervious to fire because they would lay on the hot, hot rocks in the sun. So, we thought it was a sign of rebirth and renewal, not to mention that the salamander is indigenous to the area,” Watson said.

The Salamander Summer Music Festival in Rideau Park runs July 21-23. For festival lineup, schedule, map of the park, ticket prices and to volunteer, visit salamanderfest.ca.

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