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Put on your dancing shoes

Where the Rivers Meet Country Bluegrass Jamboree this weekend
93854quesnelGreenValleyblackbirds
Green Valley Blackbirds arejust one of many bands scheduled to perform at the Where The Rivers Meet Country and Bluegrass Jambouree.

It’s time to resin up the bow and tune the guitar for the 15th Annual Where the Rivers Meet Country and Bluegrass Jamboree, April 19 – 22 at the Seniors’ Centre beginning with the doors flying open at 1 p.m. Thursday.

“This weekend is about blending sounds, sharing music and experiences, all for the love of music,” Jamboree’s Ken Knoke said.

From a small, but dedicated beginning, the Jamboree has grown to a four-day festival with bands and fans coming from all over Western Canada.

For many, the attraction is the camaraderie and the casual connections between musicians from a wide variety of backgrounds.

The out-of-town bands and fans are invited to park their RVs right next to the Seniors’ Centre in several designated parking areas, however, locals are asked to pack up their music and enthusiasm and come on down to the Centre, but leave their RVs at home.

With pancake breakfasts Friday – Sunday, onsite concession, dinners prepared by Jean’s Sidedoor Catering, Thursday – Saturday, draws throughout the weekend including two fiddles to deserving young people new to the fiddling and two outstanding draws for a handmade quilt and a handmade afghan, Where the Rivers Meet Country and Bluegrass Jamboree will be hopping and the common thread is a love of music which is shared by the hundreds of people who attend the event and the musicians, both local and out-of-town, who create that music.

And the music is definitely non-stop. In addition to the scheduled performances, Friday and Saturday’s  events begins with open mic Circle of Friends and each evening, Thursday – Saturday, is the very popular band scramble. Musicians put their name in a hat and those names are drawn randomly to form new bands. And if that wasn’t enough fun, spontaneous jam sessions erupt both inside and outside the Seniors’ Centre.

It’s all music, all the time.

Quesnel has the distinction of the first country/bluegrass festival of the season and they treasure the opportunity to launch the season in style.

With more than a dozen bands scheduled to perform, dropping by the Seniors’ Centre on any one of the four days will offer a knee-slapping, toe-tapping, lively good time.

Tickets are $30 for the weekend, $10 for daily passes at the door and for families, children under 12 are free.

Where the Rivers Meet Country and Bluegrass Jamboree is a great time to shake off winter and set the tone for spring and summer, however, as the last note is played, instruments are reluctantly returned to their cases and the many volunteers take a well-deserved sit down, you’ll want to have shared the memories of another outstanding, foot-stomping Jamboree.