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Mr. Mojo and Compassion Gorilla close Kaleidoscope
By Mike Redfern
All good things must come to an end, so the saying goes, and Saturday, August 13, sees the Kimberley Kaleidoscope festival end with a bang, well, two bangs, really, one for kids in the morning and the final one for the adults in the evening.
Saturday morning sees Mr. Mojo, B.C.’s popular children’s entertainer from Victoria, get the final festival day off to a lively start at the Platzl gazebo when the KK children’s mini-festival kicks off at 10 a.m. Mr. Mojo has received rave reviews from across the country for the songs on his CDs, “Mr. Mojo” and “Mr. Mojo Strikes Again” and for his live stage performances. “His music is upbeat and funny and his stage presence and rapport with the kids is fantastic,” said the children’s coordinator for Grand Forks Public Library.
As well as enjoying funny songs with Mr. Mojo, the children can enjoy face-painting and funny hat-making and then get their photos taken. Craft tables and games and an open air exhibition of children’s art will also be in place surrounding the Platzl gazebo. Everything is free and the event will end at noon, just in time for lunch.
The festival reaches its finale at the Centre 64 outdoor concert stage at 6 p.m., when the Kimberley duo, Wayne’s Glades, will entertain from the stage while festival-goers enjoy street food from Bear’s Eatery grill and Flippin’ Pancakes at the picnic tables on site. The bar will be open for wine, beer and soft drinks.
Then, after a pause for sound check, comes the main event of the evening when, at 7:30 p.m., the worldbeat dance band, Compassion Gorilla, will bring its Balkan, Latin, and African-infused rhythms to the stage. This Victoria-band has excited numerous festival audiences across this province and on a 50-gig tour through Mexico in 2015 when they released their CD ‘Colibris en Vuelo’. This is another opportunity to dance the evening away outdoors under the setting sun. The bar will remain open until the concert ends around 9:30 p.m. Lawn chairs are optional but recommended as the picnic tables fill up quickly. Admission is by donation at the gate.
The Gallery at Centre 64 will remain open Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. along with Marysville Artisans and five artists’ studios in the community for visitors taking in the Columbia Basin Culture Tour which runs throughout the Kootenays on Saturday and Sunday, August 13 and 14.
The Kimberley Kaleidoscope festival is supported by grants from the Regional District of East Kootenay/Columbia Basin Trust, the Columbia Kootenay Cultural Alliance, the BC Arts Council, the Resorts of the Canadian Rockies Summit Fund, and by in-kind support from the City of Kimberley.
