The Boom Booms perform at the Spirit Beach Cantina this Friday, Aug. 4. (Publicity photo)
The owner of an Osoyoos-based beach cantina is not only bringing top-notch musical entertainment to his customers this weekend, but he’s also willing to pick them up and drop them off.
James Blackwell, the owner of the Spirit Beach Cantina located in the Nk’Mip RV Campground in Osoyoos, has booked concerts for this Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening.
Vancouver’s acclaimed soul revue band The Boom Booms will perform on Friday night, while Caleb Hart and The Royal Youths – which is led by the man who used to lead the popular reggae band Tasman Jude – will perform on Saturday and Sunday evening.
In an attempt to ensure all of his patrons can enjoy themselves and not have to worry about having a couple of drinks and then driving home, Blackwell is going to be providing a shuttle service across Osoyoos Lake from his cantina to Gyro Beach.
That shuttle will begin at 7 p.m. and continue until midnight all three nights.
Patrons that are travelling by motor vehicle will be offered free parking in the parking lot at the Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre.
There will also be a shuttle service from the parking lot to the cantina or patrons can make the short walk.
At the end of the evening, anyone parked in the cultural centre parking lot who lives in Osoyoos will be offered shuttle service home.
“The bottom line is I want people to come out and have a good time and if they have had a couple of drinks, I don’t want them driving home,” he said. “We will offer a shuttle service across the lake at Gyro Park beach. Most people in Osoyoos can walk home from downtown or grab a cab.
“At the end of the evening, we will have a 15-passenger shuttle van in the parking lot at the cultural centre that will bring everyone home as long as they live in Osoyoos. They can come and pick up their vehicles the next morning.”
It has become a growing trend across many parts of Canada for establishments that serve alcohol to provide a free ride home for their customers and he wants to provide that same service for his cantina, said Blackwell.
“I don’t want anyone coming to these concerts to drink and drive and they won’t have to as we will shuttle them home or they can walk once they’re dropped off and can pick up their vehicles the next day,” he said.
The Boom Booms and Caleb Hart and the Royal Youths will be performing on the beach and Blackwell is confident there will be good crowds all three nights as both bands are excellent and have a loyal fan base across British Columbia.
“We can only fit in 200 people each night,” he said. “I urge people who want to join the fun to get their tickets as soon as they can.”
The concert series will continue the following week on Aug. 14 and 15 as Vancouver singer-songwriter Taylor Jane will perform both nights.
A shuttle service will again be offered both nights across the lake and in the cultural centre parking lot, he said.
Tickets for The Boom Booms are $20, while tickets for Caleb Hart and the Royal Youths are $15.
They can be purchased at the cantina or by calling the Spirit Beach Cantina at 250-689-5770.
The concerts all three nights will begin at 8 p.m. Shuttle service from Gyro Beach and the cultural centre parking will begin at 7 p.m.
KEITH LACEY
Osoyoos Times
