Roland Berg, who moved to Osoyoos more than three years ago and quickly became involved in the local music scene, has organized the inaugural Free Family Christmas Concert. The event will take place on Saturday, Dec. 10 at the Osoyoos branch of the Royal Canadian Legion. Joining Berg on the bill will be local musicians Cindy Doucette, Rusty Copeland, Chris Bromage and Oliver singer-songwriter Dawn MacRae. While the concert is free of charge, donations will be accepted and proceeds turned over to two cancer care programs in this region. (Contributed photo)
It’s beginning to look – and sound – a lot like Christmas in and around Osoyoos and that will certainly be the case on Saturday, Dec. 10 when five local musicians gather to perform at a Free Family Christmas Concert.
The concert will take place at the Osoyoos branch of the Royal Canadian Legion and feature performers Rusty Copeland, Chris Bromage, Cindy Doucette, Dawn MacRae and Roland Berg.
MacRae lives in Oliver, while the other four singers and songwriters call Osoyoos home.
Berg, a guitar player and singer-songwriter who moved to Osoyoos from Vancouver more than three years ago has organized the concert.
As a singer, songwriter and performer, Berg said he has met several other musicians since he moved to Osoyoos back in 2013.
“I just thought it would be a good idea to hold a free family event for Christmas,” he said. “When I approached the other musicians in town who I had come to know, I asked if they might be interested in joining me and they were all very interested.”
Berg has performed at the Osoyoos Market on Main on numerous occasions and has also sang the Canadian national anthem at several Osoyoos Coyotes’ hockey games in Osoyoos.
While admittance to the Christmas concert will be free, donations will be accepted and all proceeds will be handed over to the Kiwanis Children’s Cancer Program and the Free Masons Okanagan Cancer Care program, said Berg.
The majority of music performed at the concert will be Christmas tunes, but Bromage, who uses the name End of Empire when on stage, will be performing a few original tunes as well, he said.
Berg has approached several businesses to donate door prizes for the concert and the response has been fantastic, he said.
“I would really like to thank the local businesses who have supported me in putting on this concert,” he said. “Some of the door prizes we’ll be handing out at the concert are just fantastic.”
Former Osoyoos mayor Tom Shields, will act as the Master of Ceremonies for the concert.
“Tom is a great guy who always does a great job hosting events like this,” he said. “He’s also not shy and might belt out a tune or two himself.”
The concert will be recorded and played on community radio CIRO 106.5 FM over the Christmas holiday season, said Berg.
If there is good community response to the Christmas concert, Berg said he would certainly like to make it an annual event.
The Free Family Christmas Concert will begin at 7 p.m. on Dec. 10. Anyone wishing to attend is asked to get there early.
KEITH LACEY
Osoyoos Times
