A photo from the Roots and Blues festival in 2023 (photo courtesy of the Salmon Arm Folk Music Society / Facebook)

By Liam Verster

32nd Annual Festival

Roots and Blues Festival dates moved up in the summer

Nov 9, 2023 | 4:05 PM

Music lovers will get to experience the annual festival in the Shuswap a little earlier than usual next year.

The 32nd annual Salmon Arm Roots and Blues Festival has been bumped up and will go July 26-28 in 2024.

The Salmon Arm Folk Music Society (SAFMS), the body that oversees the Roots and Blues Fest, decided to move the event to an earlier date following the challenges caused by the wildfires this past summer, as July typically has better weather with less smoky days.

The 31st event in August was shut down after just one day due to the impact of nearby wildfires and smoke.

“The Salmon Arm Folk Music Society has faced its fair share of financial bumps and threats from the COVID pandemic and the recent fires in the Shuswap,” David Gonella, SAMFS executive director said.

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“At every turn, we’ve been eager to find a positive solution. Changing dates isn’t a band-aid fix but a chance to be better prepared.”

The new dates for the festival also align with SAFMS’s goal of making the event more inclusive and accessible.

“These new dates help ensure ROOTSandBLUES remains a vibrant and sustainable festival that continues to showcase the beautiful Shuswap and enhance the quality of life for residents and the business community,” Kevin Tobin, SAFMS artistic director said.

Early bird passes for the 32nd annual Roots and Blues festival will go on sale online on December 5, 2023. The line-up for the festival had not been released as of time of publication.