Local musician Brian Highley gives the opening concert for Osoyoos Music in the Park next Friday, June 29. Pictured here, he performed in 2016. (Richard McGuire file photo)

A fourth summer of Osoyoos Music in the Park kicks off June 29 with a series of 10 free Friday-evening concerts at Gyro Park.

Opening the series is local musician Brian Highley, who plays acoustic favourites from such classic bands as the Beatles, Rolling Stones and others.

Janis St. Louis has been organizing the concerts since 2015, along with two others, who have changed over the years, and who brand themselves as the Three Amigos.

Last year, Roland Berg replaced Rusty Copeland, one of the founding Amigos, who moved to Kelowna.

This year, Debbie Dundass has stepped up to replace the other remaining original Amigo, Alan Bleiken, who is focusing on several other local music venues before an anticipated move to Nova Scotia in the fall.

St. Louis said she met Dundass when they both joined the Osoyoos Concert Series several years ago and she developed a respect for her.

“She seemed to be somebody really organized and enthusiastic,” said St. Louis. “She’s relatively new to Osoyoos, but I asked her if she would join us (as an Amigo) and she’s been great.”

This year’s Music in the Park includes a mix of new performers and ones who have played at the event in previous years. But otherwise, the format will be the same as in the past, said St. Louis.

“We tried to do a balance of new to our audience, or not recently seen by our audience, but we do get people asking us to bring bands back the next year,” she said. “We also do a balance of genres – there’s country, rhythm and blues, bluegrass, top 40 or top 60 kind of thing.”

In recent years, attendance at the free concerts has increased, she said. Last year some concerts drew more than 500. Both locals and tourists attend.

“In the beginning, the first show, there were 60 people there,” she said, adding that numbers since then have increased significantly, especially for the more popular shows.

“I think we’ve become more savvy in our marketing,” she added, noting that Dundass has been a big help on that side, leaving St. Louis free to focus on communication with the bands.

Among the musicians expected to be popular this year are the Naden Band of the Royal Canadian Navy, who played here in 2016.

The 35-member band was originally booked to play again last year, but they ended up being sent to Afghanistan and were replaced by Jet Stream, a smaller Winnipeg-based band from the Air Force. That band was also popular.

In addition to Highley, who has played at Music in the Park before, other returning musicians include Aaron Halliday, who plays country music on July 6, Daniel Gervais, who plays fiddle on Aug. 17, and Uncorked, a dance band playing July 20.

But St. Louis is also excited about some of the new bands, such as Rusty Rails, who will be closing the concert series on Aug. 31 with a mix of bluegrass, swing, Canadian folk, traditional roots, old time, Celtic and gospel music.

Also new to this audience is Hillside Outlaws, a rock ’n country band from Penticton, playing July 13.

St. Louis said she’s excited about Cod Gone Wild, a Celtic band with an upbeat, East Coast style. They play the second last concert on Aug. 24.

Sabrina Weeks Dance Band, she said, are very upbeat with lots of energy, playing pop rock and country blues. Their concert is Aug. 3.

Impulse Response is a soul, groove and R&B quartet with sweet and soulful harmonies. That concert is July 27.

St. Louis said the Music in the Park concerts have developed a following with some people who come out every Friday.

The series has also become better known. And organizers have a better idea of what kind of music goes over well and what does not.

The outdoor concerts move to the Legion when rain is likely.

Concerts start at 6:30 p.m. and people should bring their own chair or blanket to sit on.

RICHARD McGUIRE

Osoyoos Times