FESTIVAL
What: Hornby Festival
Where: Various venues, Hornby Island
When: Friday, July 30, to Saturday, Aug. 7
Tickets: $25 from hornbyfestival.tickit.ca ($30 at the door)
Why: Everything from indie folk (Jon and Roy) and roots (Ruth Moody) to classical music (Terrence Tam and Lorraine Min) highlights of this annual event, which populates this beautiful Gulf Island in the Comox Valley area for the better part of the next two weeks. Evening performances at Rosemuir Farm (9925 Central Rd.) will be surefire bets, but a deep dive into the schedule will bring to light some of the smaller events being offered. Don’t miss out. A true gem of a festival.
JAZZ
What: The Nick La Riviere Band
Where: Hermann’s Jazz Club
When: Saturday, July 31, 7 p.m. (doors at 5:30)
Tickets: $25 from hermannsjazz.com
Why: A mainstay at Hermann’s Jazz Club for more than a decade, the oft-busy La Riviere gets back into the business of in-person concerts Saturday following a productive stretch of online activity during the past year and-a-half. He’ll be joined by Chris Van Sickle (keyboards), Barrie Sorensen (sax), Louis Rudner (bass), and Alex Campbell (drums) for the performance, which all but guarantees a good time.
ART
What: Sooke Fine Arts Show
Where: sookefinearts.com
When: Through Aug. 2
Tickets: By donation
Why: This hugely popular event by the Sooke Fine Arts Society has hit a groove during its second week of activity, the entirety of which is online for the second consecutive year. That shouldn’t dissuade supporters from sampling, as this hub for artists from the Vancouver Island area is the longest-running juried fine arts show in the region. Plenty of activity is on tap through Monday, including artists’ talks from Sheena McCorquodale, MaryLou Wakefield, and others.
