Kirb-Fest Kicks Off This Weekend!
June 15, 2022
New West Theatre announced a brand-new offering unlike anything they've ever produced, "KIRB-FEST"! Presented in collaboration with New West Theatre, Kirby Smith, the First Nations Arts Alliance, and The Blackfoot Confederacy; this a family-friendly concert event that will take place at the Yates Memorial Theatre on June 17th and 18th 2022. Tickets can be purchased online on the Enmax Centres website.
This two-day event features over 19 local Indigenous and non-Indigenous performers, such as Willie Big Bull, John Wort Hannam, Double Rider, Bailey Kate, Lance Tail Feathers and more! The two-day all-genre music festival event will feature family-friendly programming, and tickets cost just $10 per person per festival portion.
At the media call for Kirb-Fest, both John Wort Hannam and Willie Big Bull were present. They performed a taste of the music that the festival will feature at Kirb-Fest. Willie Big Bull also discussed the festival's history and what they hope to see come from the event this year.
Kirby smith originally started the event in 2013 as Festival Across the River. The music festival quickly began to take on a life of its own. As the festival got bigger and bigger, it grew from an event only held on first nations reserves to now being a main event for New West Theatre in 2022.
Friday June 17th at 7 PM, the show kicks off, with incredible performers going late into the night. Saturday morning, at 2 PM, the family portion of the festival kicks off with face painting, theatre performances, and live musicians. Everything closes out Saturday starting at 7 PM with Willie Big Bull and his band Wintercount finishing things off.
This multicultural event focuses on bringing people together through live music and fun outdoors. No matter your age or interest, there will be music and performances for you to enjoy. Rock and Roll, Blues, Blue Grass, and Jazz are just a few genres that Willie Big Bull says those attending the festival can look forward to.
Willie Big Bull is Looking forward to performing with his band in concert for the first time and seeing people get back together for music once again. Willie Big Bull says performing for venues and crowds like this is therapeutic. He hopes the event can lift people's spirits just as much as it lifts his, especially after the difficult two years everyone has had.
"Music exceeds all boundaries," said Willie Big Bull, talking about this event and others like it. Willie Big Bull hopes. Events such as Kirb-Fest can help heal and bring people back together post-pandemic.