The scenic Caetani Centre property on Pleasant Valley Road in Vernon will soon play host to live music, local food, artisans and summer fun.
One day of fun wasn't enough, so the annual Caetani Summer Music Festival has been spread out over two days, July 19 and 20.
The centre host its Friday Night Dance Party, featuring one of the last shows of Okanagan-Maritime crowd-pleaser Andrew Mercer, the founding member of Vernon-based band Cod Gone Wild. The band will be followed by Vancouver dance band The Boom Booms, blending storytelling and music that draws on funk, soul and Latin styles to live up to their motto of "good grooves, good melodies, good times."
The second night, July 20, features a sweet summer Saturday of jazz, folk, indie rock, roots and blues with the smooth sounds of Michaela Bray along with Vernon's own up-and-coming singer-songwriter Kailee Duggan. Closing out the evening will be indie-rock favourites the Devon Coyote Trio and the legendary Graham Ord Blues Revue.
Mercer is also the Caetani Music Festival's music coordinator, and this year's event will be his last in the role.
"We're excited to have this festival as one our last performances. It's perfect – we love performing outside at the Caetani grounds, where we've always had such warm, lively audiences,” said Mercer. "This will be a remarkable year for the festival, not only because it will be one of our last performances as a band, but because we’ll be doing so alongside such a great, varied line-up of performers."
Caetani Centre executive director Laisha Rosnau said Mercer will be "so missed as music coordinator of the festival. We're not only thankful for his 11 years of coordinating musical performances at Caetani, but for bringing together such a fantastic line-up for this year's festival — so much talent that we're holding it over two evenings instead of one."
Local food and market vendors will be at the Caetani Centre both days of the festival, which will also have a cash bar (19-plus).
For more information and to learn about the performers and venue, visit caetani.org.
Tickets are available at ticketseller.ca.
