A Canadian icon and Music Hall of Fame inductee is set to belt out her catalogue of hit songs for festivalgoers in Courtenay this summer.
Organizers behind the Vancouver Island MusicFest announced Tuesday that singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan is performing at the upcoming event, happening July 14-16 at the Comox Valley Exhibition Grounds on Headquarters Road.
The Grammy and Juno-award-winning singer who’s sold more than 40 million albums worldwide is headlining the Friday show on the Concert Bowl Stage, according to organizers.
McLachlan’s known for her songs “Angel,” “Building A Mystery” and “Fallen,” among others, and her music “embodies the art of songwriting on its most personal level and her indelible vocals resonate with people everywhere,” states a post on the festival’s website.
Other acts to perform at the three-day event include Rickie Lee Jones, GALACTIC featuring Anjelika Jelly Joseph, Al Qahwa, Awakeneers and Blackburn, just to name a few.
Island festivals get funding
According to the B.C. government, VI MusicFest has received $134,000 in funding from the province’s Fairs, Festivals and Events Fund. More than $30 million has been doled out to nearly 1,200 events happening across B.C. between April 2023 and December 2024.
“Festivals and fairs bring people together, they create joy, and build community,” said Grace Lore, MLA for Victoria-Beacon Hill. “I’m excited that we’re supporting a wide variety of events to help us connect and celebrate everything our community has to offer.”
Lore’s comments followed a Tuesday announcement that 77 upcoming Greater Victoria-area events, including Rifflandia Festival, the Royal Victoria Marathon and the Victoria Fringe Festival, are receiving a combined $2 million in funding thanks to the fund.
“We are making sure that community events have the funding they need so that people can enjoy the great activities they missed out on in recent years due to the pandemic,” added B.C.’s Transporation and Infrastructure Rob Fleming in a news release.
More information about VI MusicFest, as well as a link to purchase tickets, can be found online, while Rifflandia’s 2023 event announcement is here.
Ethan Morneau
