Chris Stedile
Castlegar News
A local impresario hopes to bring an expanded summer concert series to the seldom used library amphitheatre in downtown Castlegar.
To help make this happen, Dannika Soukoroff will be holding a fundraiser at the Element, March 13 at 10 p.m.
Tickets are $12 at the door and all proceeds will be going towards hiring local musicians to play at the amphitheatre. Early bird tickets are available for $10 at the Element, Crumbs Bakery, Bay Avenue Music in Trail and the Castlegar Public Library.
Last year, Soukoroff hosted various music shows at Bagels and Brew along with the community garden.
However, the garden was paved over during that time, leading her to search elsewhere for a venue to showcase local talent. She came upon the library amphitheatre and with its favourable seating and electrical outlets, it seemed as good a spot as any.
Soukoroff hosted several artists including her own group, The Frequent Flyers.
The upcoming night at the Element will include The Magpies, The Rackets and her own band, which she describes as rock, blues, folk with a touch of psychedelic. She and partner Steve aim to create a warm and inclusive atmosphere with their music.
“I think it will be a good turnout,” she said, “It needs to be used. They built [the amphitheatre] and it hasn’t been used for anything. A lot of people just hang out and leave cigarette butts there. I find that frustrating.”
Soukoroff believes much of the talent around Castlegar is hidden and this concert series will help bring the community closer as well as drive some more traffic downtown.
“I want to see other things in there over time,” she said. “Not just music but book readings and other events.”
A lot of work has been put into making this happen for a second year. Soukoroff has been setting up scavenger hunts around the Nelson, Trail, Castlegar area for tickets to the show along with creating hand-made community-based art in an attempt to raise additional funds.