Planning for this year’s Salamander Fest

Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 13/01/2025 (248 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Although we’re currently in the depths of winter, planning for this summer’s Salamander Music Festival is already well underway. The Neelin Journalism Team met with Neelin graduate Jared Weir (Class of 1999), who has not only been working as a DJ for over twenty years but is also on the Festival planning committee, to speak about life as a performing artist and what it takes to plan a music festival in Brandon. Some responses have been edited for length.

Q: How did you get involved in DJing and how did you find out about it?

A: My DJ journey started at Neelin. My responsibilities included booking the DJs for the high school dances. I developed a good, almost friendship, with the guy that I had been booking as a DJ. He asked me to come on as a DJ for him for the dances. It was natural for me to eventually come to DJing; I always loved music back in the day with the Dance Mix 95 and 94.

Q: Did anyone specific help you?

A: The guy that I was talking about was Brian Podworny. He became a real mentor to me. He was almost like an older brother, or even like a DJ dad to me. He helped me find my voice and to develop as a DJ.

Q: How did you feel when you performed for the first time? Did you develop your own DJ style after your first performance?

A: It took me a while to not be nervous to just touch the mixer. I found it nerve-wracking for a long time, and it took me a while to develop my own style and find confidence in my DJ abilities.

Q: Some people say that DJing isn’t performing, that you’re just spinning discs. How would you respond to that?

A: I was hoping you would ask that question; there’s a broad spectrum of what DJing could be. With the hardware and software we have today, the creative possibilities are endless. I like to think when I’m DJing (that I’m) curating something custom. A band can feed off the energy of people, but they’re mostly confined to their set list. As a DJ, you can have as much freedom as you want. There’s a lot of things you can do with different sounds.

Q: Let’s talk about your involvement in Brandon’s Salamander Festival. Why did you choose to host the Festival at Rideau Park?

A: We wanted a location in Brandon, and though we had many options on where to host it, we ended up choosing Rideau Park due to various reasons. We liked the water tower as a landmark, the amount of shade in the park, and the natural atmosphere that the park provided.

Q: How did you promote the festival for the first time?

A: We had a large group of people promoting the festival. They reached out to radio stations, created a website for the festival (Salamanderfestival.ca) and advertised on social media.

Q: How do you choose vendors and artists for the festival?

A: We look for local artists for Salamander Fest, so most of our vendors and artists are from around Brandon, and a few come from Winnipeg. For the first couple years of the Festival, we would contact artists, but as the Festival grew, we began to receive submissions from artists and vendors.

Q: How can people get involved in Salamander Fest?

A: As the Festival dates approach (July 18-20, 2025), we are going to put out a call for volunteers on our website (Salamanderfestival.ca). If you want to be involved in the committee, feel free to reach out to me on my social media platforms.

» Marie Lychuk is a Grade 9 student at École secondaire Neelin High School