The organizers of the annual Bow Valley Jamboree have released a lineup that they hope will appeal to a variety of music fans.
The annual festival will take place on July 28 at the Bow Valley Park south of Oxbow. A project of the Oxbow Arts and Cultural Committee, the jamboree will feature music from different acts throughout the afternoon and evening.
Downwind will be the opening act this year. Event spokesperson Lori Moncrief said they have been together for more than 30 years, and the group boasts musicians from around southeast Saskatchewan.
“They still have a good following around here,” said Moncrief.
Val Halla, a singer, songwriter and guitar player, will be the next to take to the stage. Oral Fuentes, which plays a mixture of reggae with a Latin afro fusion, will follow. Call Me Mildy is a blues act that also incorporates elements of rockabilly, reggae and southern rock into their sound
In a rare move, the jamboree has brought a band back for the second straight year. The New Montagues were there in 2017, and were a crowd favourite, so they will be returning. It’s a nine-member band that plays the best of funk, soul, R&B, disco and pop.
The festival will wrap up with a performance by cover band Method to Madness.
Downwind and The New Montagues are the only groups that have been at the jamboree previously, at least to Moncrief’s knowledge. She is looking forward to hearing all of the acts.
“It looks to me to be a mixture,” said Moncrief. “There’s a Latin flavor, and a free-spirited guitarist, and you need that to please a crowd, because there are so many different interests out there.”
The committee works hard each year, she said, and members do their research to find new acts.
There will also be tweeners who will take to the stage.
“Tweeners are an important part of our event,” said Moncrief. “Tweeners are up and coming musicians who perform between our main acts. They’re local people, usually youth, from Carlyle, Redvers, Oxbow and Carnduff areas, and we’ve had some great fiddle players and guitar players.”
Some southeast musicians have already requested to be tweeners for this year.
The Southern Plains Co-op is back as the major sponsor tor this year’s event, thanks to a $5,000 contribution. A meeting will take place with the jamboree’s committee and senior management from the co-op’s four locations, and they hope to have activities and promotional efforts at the co-ops prior to the jamboree that could include music from the performers.
Moncrief noted that people will be able to reserve a campsite in the park’s campground in advance, which they hope will encourage people to camp for the weekend.
There will also be a twilight admission that kicks in after 9 p.m. The committee hopes it will appeal to younger crowds.
“The band that performs last is a cover band, so we hope that’s a good mix,” said Moncrief.
Tickets are $40 for adults and $25 for teens, but Moncrief stressed that the festival it offers 11 hours of entertainment.
