Tofino and Ucluelet – Pacific Rim Summer Festival
July 01, 2009Now in its 21st year, the Pacific Rim Summer Festival celebrates music and the performing arts, with dazzling displays of artistry taking place in Tofino and Ucluelet through the first half of July. This year, festival director Pam Lewis and her trusty sidekick Shawn Lennon are bringing ten touring acts to the region, as well as local artists from the West Coast’s budding music scene. This marks a return to form for the festival: last year, an abbreviated version was presented while the Pacific Rim Arts Society undertook a large-scale “state of the arts” survey to gather feedback from local residents.
The kick-off event is held on Canada Day, with renowned First Nations musician Ed Peekeekoot headlining free outdoor concerts in Ucluelet and Tofino. On the second day, east-coast indie-pop duo The Superfantastics bring their experimental rock to the Weigh West Harbour Lounge in Tofino. They’ll be sharing the stage with popular local duo Smalltime Empire, who released their first EP earlier this year. The group consists of Tofino residents Anne Klazek and Ron Weeks, so you know they’ll be playing to a packed audience.
Day three features George Zukerman at the Clayoquot Community Theatre in Tofino and at the St. Aiden Church in Ucluelet. A member of both the Order of Canada and the Order of BC, he is one of the few – if not the only – solo bassoonists currently on tour, and the first one to ever be invited to the former Soviet Union, New Zealand, South Africa, and China.
The festival has a Sunday break on July 5th, followed by a film night at the Clayoquot Community Centre. This year, the film playing will be The Power of Song, the only authorized biography on Pete Seeger. On July 7th, the Greenpoint Campground and the Tofino Botanical Gardens play host to the string trio Infinitus, known for their unique blend of classical works with original jazz, Latin, and hip-hop arrangements.
On the 8th, there’s a Tribal Parks public performance at the Tin Wis Resort. The following day, come back to the Clayoquot Community Theatre to hear Zapato Negro, an Afro-Carribbean progressive jazz quintet. On the 10th, the USS Bandroom in Ucluelet showcases the amazing salsa and capoeira skills of Aché Brasil, one of the top martial arts performance groups in Canada. On the 14th, Australian David Ross brings his intricate fingerstyle guitar playing to the Darwin Cafe. Ross, who doubles as the drummer for the Waifs, is a rising star in his home country and has already released three superb acoustic albums.
The final day of the festival features Dj Robofoce with Tough Guys and Girls Cry at the Weigh West Harbour Lounge in Tofino.Expect lots of electronica with danceable beats and mindblowing effects!
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