Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate for the 2015 Kootenay Festival held Saturday in Castlegar's Millennium Park. Several features had to be cancelled or postponed and some vendors had to pack up early once the rain came and strong winds caused tents to blow over.
Many people still made it out to the event and had a great time between the bouts of stormy weather. The event featured a variety of local musicians ranging from folk-billy-blues and rock to drumming. Dancers showcased many styles of dance including highland, belly-dance, tap, Middle Eastern, powwow and hoop.
Dog lovers got to enjoy the West Kootenay Kennel Club's Kootenay Festival Dog Show. Members had a wide range of breeds on hand from small dogs to Great Pyrenees. Demonstrations in obedience and agility were given to the delight of onlookers.
Face painting, cotton candy, kettle corn and a costume photo booth were a big hit with the kids while the adults gravitated toward the artisan wares, southern style BBQ and tacos.
Highlighting Kootenay Festival's cultural diversity theme, artist Peter Vogelaar, along with artist assistant Alex Avelino created an amazingly detailed sand sculpture called “Working Together”. The sculpture took four days to complete and was sponsored by Castlegar Sculpturewalk.