32nd annual Filberg Festival August 1-4

Celebrate the best of Arts, Crafts and Music at the 32nd annual Filberg Festival August 1 – 4, 2014

Comox, BC, In less than 2 weeks we will be once again enjoying the magic of the Filberg Festival. The critters will move out and the vendors will move in to take over the Filberg Heritage Lodge & Park for four fabulous days of arts & crafts, music, food and fun!

We are really excited about the entertainment line-up that will be showcasing the new “Comox Rotary Stage” formally known as the Main Stage. The programming this year will be a mix of genres to appeal to a much wider audience including children’s performers on the Garden Stage. Headliners include: Tiller’s Folly, Royal Wood, Jesse Peters, and Ken Lavigne. You can also see local favourites: Sue Medley & The Back Road Band, Helen Austin, Brodie Dawson, David Gogo and Phil Dwyer performing throughout the long weekend. For a full list of entertainment visit http://filbergfestival.com/the- festival/entertainment/schedule/.

Local Comox Valley painter, Tracy Kobus will be this year’s Guest Artist located under the Arbour on the upper lawn. Her acrylic paintings give a thoughtful perspective on the connection between humans and nature. You can take a peak at Tracy’s work by visiting her website at www.tracykobus.com . This year you will be able to enjoy some new artisans as well as returning favourites. With over 130 talented vendors the Filberg Festival is the perfect place to pick up a wedding or anniversary gift and start a fantastic collection!

Raffle tickets are available for purchase during the Festival. A $10.00 ticket or 3 for $20.00 gives you the opportunity to win one of seven amazing prizes: two return tickets anywhere WestJet flies, two return flights on Harbour Air from Comox to Vancouver and two night’s accommodation at the Hotel Le Soleil in Vancouver, an original Brett Varney painting, two hand crafted willow Diamond Back garden chairs by Willow Way, a carved original piece by Westcoast Chainsaw Artists, a rattan side table and lamp from Rattan Plus Home & Patio and coffee for a year from Royston Roasting. Only 2000 tickets are being sold so don’t miss out! The raffle will take place on the Comox Rotary Stage on Monday August 4th at 3:30pm.

Parking is limited at the Filberg Heritage Lodge & Park and in the surrounding residential area during the Festival so we encourage you to either walk, cycle or use the public transit system if you live locally. If you are driving to the Festival the best thing to do is to take advantage of Ambassador Shuttle Service’s Park & Ride at 1475 Noel Avenue. For a donation (suggest $2.00 per person) Ambassador’s friendly drivers will drop you off in lovely air conditioned vans near the Festival entrance and take you back to your vehicle when you are done having fun at the end of the day

This year’s volunteer group that will be manning the Park & Ride is Vancouver Island Compassion Dogs. Vancouver Island Compassion Dogs is a non-profit organization that matches rescue dogs with veterans and others that are struggling with invisible injuries. http://vicompassiondogs.ca/. This service runs during Festival hours from 9am to 6pm Friday through Sunday and from 9am to 5pm on Monday.

Advance tickets are available for $13 until July 31st at all Vancouver Island Thrifty Foods locations including Salt Spring Island, the Vancouver Island Visitor Centre, I-HOS Gallery and Arizona Gifts in the Comox Centre Mall. Tickets are $15 at the Gate during the Festival. A four day pass is available for $40 and children 12 and under are free.

Set amongst the stately trees and gardens of the Filberg Heritage Lodge and Park in Comox, BC on the east coast of Vancouver Island the Filberg Festival is truly a unique event. Enjoy art and nature surrounded by beautiful gardens, rustic out-buildings and magnificent views of Comox Harbour and the Beaufort Range.