Festival wraps up busy summer in Killarney

It’s time for Westman music lovers to grab their lawn chairs and their dance shoes and make their way to Killarney to bid farewell to summer — the Killarney Lakeside Festival runs Friday through Sunday. The festival features loads of Manitoba talent, workshops, an artisan market, a Sunday brunch and more.

Giselle Baupre, arts administrator at the Killarney Turtle Mountain Arts Council, said the community is chuffed.

“The festival has created a new thing for people to look forward to. Our community is really busy in the summer one weekend after another, right from the fair at the end of June, to the Kick off to Summer to Prairie Pioneer Days. So after a nice few weeks of a little bit more calm and quiet, people look forward to ending the summer with something this fun.”

The festival audience has already established some favourites.

“We have Mama Sol James coming back. She was our emcee last year and she did a crazy great job,” she said.

“Last year we had Quentin Blair out of Carberry and he’s coming back Saturday night.

We’re really focused on bringing in our local bands.”

Here is the full 411 on the musical line-up for this year’s Killarney Lakeside Festival, each night from 5 to 11.30 p.m. at the Westoba Stage. Seating is BYOLC — bring your own lawn chair.

Winnipeg-based Mama Sol James is returning with her Soulful take on roots/blues with an energy that gets audiences up on their feet. Her lively humour makes her the ideal emcee for the festival shows and she keeps it rolling all evening long.

Back by popular demand is Carberry’s own Quinton Blair who will be “bringing the country” to the stage.

“He’s a real country artist with some rock vibe and amazing fiddle playing and guitar playing … a really tight band that is amazing,” Beaupre said.

Lana Winterhalt from Winnipeg will perform at noon on Sunday. Over the three days, Lana will work with the kids at the fest to write and record their own original song, with a final performance on Sunday afternoon.

Days on Land will be on hand. Their name comes from Churchill’s unique place in the world, and its association with polar bear survival and the number of days they are forced to spend on land as the sea ice melts. According to their media release, “The band takes that idea and flips it into a celebration of the north — its beauty, its fragility, and the people who call it home.”

Men in Cheap Suits are bringing their covers of hit songs of the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s, “crashing all the way into the 21st Century.”

Bluegrass quintet, The Stanley County Cut-Ups will cover all the bluegrass bases featuring hard driving banjo, mandolin, wild fiddle and multi-part harmonies.

Curubandé will bring a high-energy set that travels through the salsa evolution of Latin American Music, featuring both original songs and standards that showcase percussion, piano, horns improvisations and amazing vocal improvisation in the “soneo” style of salsa music.

Audiences will discover Jovelle Balani, an emerging jazz-influenced pop singer-songwriter making waves. In 2020 and 2022, she was a multi-medalist and a finalist at the World Championships of Performing Arts in Anaheim, Calif.

Killarney’s own Junction Three will roll out original rock ‘n’ roll tunes and some cool covers.

The Killarney Filipino Band will perform a variety of genres featuring guitars, bass, drums and vocals.

Singer/songwriter Daelyn, out of Brandon, is a guitarist-vocalist who loves playing her favourite covers and her own original songs.

T.H.E. (The Highschool Experience) is a student-led high school jazz ensemble/cover band that formed in 2022. The lineup may change but the energy and excitement are always on stage.

Acclaimed Canadian singer-songwriter Cara Luft is back to wow audiences at the festival.

The festival will also offer the artisan market on Saturday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Killarney Ag Display Building. With over a dozen vendors, festivalgoers will get to browse Alpaca wool and handmade items, weaving, beeswax products, knitting, embroidered linens, jewelry, candles, soaps, woodcraft, painting, food, and an array of decorative arts.

Kids and adults alike can try the arts and crafts tent, line dance workshops and more.

“Our face painter is going to have the equipment to do temporary tattoos,” Beaupre said.

“And there will be real tattoos for the adults.”

Food trucks are always a highlight and Prairie Sky Cinema (sweet and salty theatre treats), Green’s Dog House (dogs, smokies and pork burgers) and Big City Bites (bagels, bagel sandwiches, sides) will all be on hand to feed the crowds.

“We have to talk about the free no-footprint camping, like boondocking available in the green space,” Beaupre said.

“We’re hoping that families out of Brandon will pick up their pop-up trailer and come and park it here for free and enjoy the festival. They will register when they get here at the gate.”

The campsite is located west of the Heritage Home for the Arts and is free for attendees.

The Killarney Lakeside Festival takes place this Saturday to Sunday at the Heritage Home for the Arts. For information on tickets and other details and to connect with social media for updates go to: killarneyarts.com Tickets $75 for the weekend pass on sale now. Day passes are $40 for adults, $20 for youth, ages 9 and under are free.

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