Yogurt and pesto salmon
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Fresh food and family fun
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Delve into the Thousand Palm Oasis
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Good, bad and . . . bizarre: Gallery
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Good, bad and . . . bizarre
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Furnace squealing
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Battery comparison
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Snowbirds heading home—Part V
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Driving to Panama: Gallery
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RV Canada with Boo the Menopausal Van
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Driving to Panama
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Meet the Samsons
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First timers
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Bull riding, Disneyland and beating Big Mama
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British Columbia
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Mexico
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United States
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Canada
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The auxillary switch mystery
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Boondocking
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Natural sinus relief
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The blue, bluegrass of home
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Harness the sun’s power
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Boler cruising
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RV Reader
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RV Cuisine
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7th Annual Lytton River Festival
Lytton will host the seventh annual Lytton River Festival during the Labour Day Weekend. The event, which attracts hundreds of locals and visitors, celebrates Lytton’s natural surroundings, vibrant community and First Nations culture.
Family and friends return year after year to participate in free activities throughout the entire weekend. Most Lytton residents see it as a great opportunity to head to the town centre for a day or two with the family and enjoy the festival atmosphere, music, farmer’s market vendors and the River Fest Pow Wow on Sunday.
“It’s been a lot of fun seeing the plans come together for this year’s festival,” said Bernie Fandrich, long-time supporter and president of the festival committee. “The committee decided that last year’s greater success was due in large part to the addition of the First Nations artisan’s display on Sunday. Visitors this year can expect the return of the artisans along with some mainstays of the festival like some of the community’s favourite local bands, the kids kayaking program and the popular fire-spinners on Saturday night. The decision to have a longer fire-spinning show instead of fireworks similar to last year has been made to avoid any complications should another dry summer occur.”
Kicking things off
The festival weekend begins Friday, September 3, with the farmer’s market open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Local produce, plants, food and clothes will be for sale outside on 4th Street.
A free, full-day guided excursion into the Stein Valley on the west side of the Fraser is also planned. A bus will depart from the village office at 8:30 a.m. to shuttle any participants to the Stein Valley trail head. An interpreter will accompany the hike and relate Aboriginal and natural history along the ancient trail.
The anticipated return of the group is 4 p.m., therefore a lunch, snacks, sufficient amounts of water and a good pair of hiking shoes are strongly recommended.
All other activities this year will occur in and around the town’s main site on 4th Street, between Main and Fraser Streets. The B.C. Downriver Kayak Race at the Frog has been canceled this year and the kid’s toy raft race will most likely move from Nicomen Creek to the Lytton Pool behind the Lytton Visitors’ Centre.
By popular demand, comedy improv group Table 23 returns to perform Saturday afternoon along with Mandrake the Magician, a new addition to the festival. Local talent will occupy the stage for most of Saturday with a talent show organized by Jo Johnson.
Artwork and river-related films will play inside the Legion and Council Chamber meeting room in the daytime. On both Friday and Saturday nights there is live music planned on the outdoor stage. The entertainment has not officially been announced yet.
There is no charge for any of the festival events. Be sure to mark the Lytton River Festival on your events calendar and Lytton as the place to be on the Labour Day weekend.
The festival would not be possible without the ongoing commitment of volunteers and financial contributions from the Canadian Heritage Grant and several private sponsors.
For more information visit the Lytton River Festival website.
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Recognized for excellence
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Pursuing a passion
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Fifth annual Idlewild Musicfest
Idlewild Musicfest is celebrating its fifth anniversary with what promises to be its finest lineup of musicians ever. Headliner Valdy, is ready and eager to entertain the crowd at the Idlewild Musicfest happening Saturday, August 21, at Cranbrook’s Idlewild Park. The Idlewild Musicfest is presented by the Cranbrook Public Library.
Valdy has been part of the fabric of Canadian pop and folk music for years. A man with a thousand friends, from Newfoundland to Vancouver Island - Texas to New Zealand, he’s a folk singer who catches the small but telling moments that make up life. Valdy has a strong fan base in the Kootenays and it has been a number of years since he has graced a performance stage in the region.
“Valdy was great!” wrote one reviewer recently. “He certainly has a warm rapport with the audience and went out of his way at break and after the show to chat and sign autographs. He’s a national treasure; perhaps the Order of Canada should be considered!”
Guitarists pay attention to Valdy’s accompaniment style; his guitar playing seems effortless, masking an underlying musical complexity. His songs and his distinctive voice can be heard on pop radio, country radio and on college/alternative stations; he does it all, and he does it well.
Award-winning artist Aspen Switzer of Nelson will be returning for an encore performance at Idlewild this year. As concert attendants from last year can attest, Aspen’s voice stops you in your tracks. It is powerful, subtle, pure and haunting, filled with longing, and an ethereal yet grounded quality. She has a clear sense of who she is. Her songs illuminate the stories of a young woman, wide awake, striving for balance in aspirations and social responsibility, love, independence and caring. Her trio sings flawless three-part harmonies, balancing the charm and warmth of old time music with the contemporary.
The audience will also enjoy the music of Cranbrook’s own redGirl, which consists of Michael and Anie Hepher, Sven Heyde as well as Steve Jones, all formerly of As the Crow Flies. They’ll bring their distinctive and charming Kootenay roots musical style. Cranbrook’s own old time favourites band, Old Spice will warm up the crowd starting at 3:30 p.m. Heather Gemmell, another popular local performer, will also be playing at the concert.
The gates at Idlewild Park will open at 2:30 p.m. and music will start at 3:30 p.m. There will be food concessions, vendors, lots of fun and entertainment for the whole family. Tickets to the Idlewild Musicfest are only $20 per person (under 13 free by donation) and the proceeds go towards supporting the Cranbrook Public Library’s efforts to enhance their book collection and develop more inviting green spaces around the library.
Tickets are available at Lotus Books, Pages Used Books, the Cranbrook Public Library and the Kimberley Public Library. For more information about the Idlewild Musicfest call the Cranbrook Public Library at 250-426-4063.
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Tales from the mighty Columbia River
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Love the wild
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Poised for the big time
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RV Reader Survey May/June 2010
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There is more to Palm Springs
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Big Valley Jamboree
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Snowbirds heading home—Part IV
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Summer Streetfest Festival
Who wants to hear a different live band every night for the entire summer? If your answer is yes, then Revelstoke is where you need to be. The Revelstoke Arts Council hosts a variety of live bands that play in the Grizzly Plaza in downtown Revelstoke each summer from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m during its Summer Streetfest Festival.
Cathy Granstrom, the director for the Revelstoke Arts Council, said this year from June 27 to August 29, people are invited to the plaza to listen to live music.
“(We have) a real mix of musicians,” said Granstrom. “We always like something that is family oriented. We like something that is upbeat and we love cover tunes because everyone knows them and they can sing along.”
Granstrom said that there is a waiting list for bands to come and play in the Grizzly Plaza and most bands that come through are on a summer circuit. This year there are many travelling artists that will grace the plaza with their fresh summer tunes, including Aspen Switzer, That Girl and Earl, Steve Palmer, Broken Down Suitcase, Blackberry Wood and Sister Girl.
“There is always people wandering by,” said Granstrom. “We set out chairs every night for them and when the bands are there we can have up to 400 people come and listen to it.”
Sponsored by the City of Revelstoke, this event is free of charge and a wonderful opportunity to take in some of the region’s talent.
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10th Annual BC Rivers Day Music Festival
The 10th Annual BC Rivers Day Music Festival in Prince George celebrates B.C.’s river heritage. Held in Fort George Park on the last Sunday of September, Prince George goes the extra mile and incorporates family friendly activities and live musical talents to guarantee that visitors have a hip-hopping, bee-bopping good time.
Patti Gerhardi, the project co-ordinator for the BC Rivers Day Music Festival, said there is a fabulous line-up of talented musicians set to play at the festival.
“We will open with the Prince George String Quartet,” said Gerhardi. “Then we will have the Nadleh Whut’en dancers and drummers . . . They performed at the Olympics opening ceremony and they will have narrative explaining what they are dancing about. Then we will have Ken McCoy, who is an absolutely marvelous artist out of the Lower Mainland. We will finish our show with Daniel Lapp who is an extreme fiddle player that played at the Olympic opening ceremonies too.”
Celebrating the watershed
Gerhardi said that many communities around the province celebrate BC River’s Day. However, the one in Prince George is the largest in the province, surpassing the celebration in Vancouver. Gerhardi said that The Northwest Brigade Paddling Club makes an appearance on the lake dressed in Louis Riel period clothing, there are booths and interactive displays set up for children and a man-made pond with trout in it to teach kids how to fish.
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The ghosts of peoples past
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A park system is born
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John Arcand Fiddle Fest
Saskatoon and area is preparing to celebrate the 13th annual John Arcand Fiddle Fest from August 12 to 15, 2010. In addition to the usual program; concerts, workshops, old-time dances and other family-friendly activities, the festival will be celebrating the Year of the Métis along with their first “going green” initiative—a shuttle service from the city to the festival grounds.
There will be free unserviced camping on the festival grounds, and a shuttle service from the main venue to the campground that runs from 5 p.m. to midnight each day.
Designed with family in mind
The workshops run for two full days and accommodate all skill levels of fiddlers, pianists and guitarists—there will even be instruction on Red River jigging.
“It’s planned for and designed with families in mind,” said Vicki Arcand, one of the festival’s organizers. “One of the reasons (children aged) 12 and under are always free and our admission remains low, is so that families can afford to come.”
The one-time gate fee to get into the Fiddle Fest is modest at $20 per day or $50 for all four days, and all activities are free with admission. This includes all of the workshops, concerts, old-time dances with live bands, access to the children’s area and camping. Music lovers can also enjoy watching the biggest fiddle contest in Saskatchewan and the Canadian Traditional Red River Jigging Competition.
For more information, call 306-382-0111 or visit www.johnarcandfiddlefest.com.
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Northern Lights Bluegrass and Old Tyme Music Festival
If you have music on your mind, Saskatchewan has an event this summer that will bring a smile to your face.
The Northern Lights Bluegrass and Old Tyme Music Festival will take place from August 20 to 22, 2010. Situated at lovely Ness Creek—two and a half hours north of Saskatoon—the musical celebrations will be preceded by a week-long music camp.
“Not only is our camp geared for all ages, but we also have children’s programming during the festival weekend,” said Jennifer Bork, one of the organizers. “Our event is multi-generational, with everyone from babies to folks in their 90s.”
The festival promises a flurry of activity, with bluegrass, old-time music and dancing for the whole family.
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Regina Folk Festival
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Dual-battery emergency start circuit
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40th Annual Bumbershoot: Seattle’s Music & Arts Festival
The 40th Annual Bumbershoot: Seattle’s Music & Arts Festival, taking place September 4 to 6 at Seattle Center, announces the 2010 Visual Arts Exhibits. Bumbershoot, long recognized for offering a diverse array of programming, continues this tradition for the 2010 Festival with a visually stunning selection of art exhibits and installations. The 2010 Visual Arts Program features a 30-year look at Seattle alternative cartoonists and comics, a large-scale sculptural installation created from wooden coffee stir sticks, an exploration of the ways developments in art technology have resulted in new expressions of sound, a chance for festival attendees to take on the Portrait Challenge, and an opportunity to view the work of Seattle’s best street artists in a gallery setting.
The festival’s art exhibits will be revealed to the public early, in a free public viewing on Friday, September 3, from noon to 7 p.m., in celebration of the Mayor’s Arts Awards.
Bumbershoot’s 2010 Visual Arts Program is made possible with the support of the Seattle Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs, 4Culture and Boeing.
For more information, visit the Bumbershoot website.
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June 2010 eNewsletter
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Greek salad tart
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Help me see the light(s)
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Furnace fan keeps running
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Meet Bill Carlson
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Meet the Smiths
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Surveyor slide-out
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Valley of Fire
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Meet the Svenssons
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Following a free spirit gallery
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Big things come in small packages
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RV etiquette or common courtesy?
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Weak floor in a Fleetwood Bounder
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Possible fuel pump failure
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Weight on the axles
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Creating community
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Going it alone
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A breath of fresh air
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Rocky Mountain high
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Meet me at the oasis
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Immersed in grandeur
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Rolling rocks and history
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Great gazpacho
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Island adventures
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Snowbirds heading home—Part III
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It’s easy as 1, 2, 3
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A natural wonder
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A taste of Mexico’s history gallery
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A taste of Mexico’s history
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May 2010 eNewsletter
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Little Gem measurements
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Palomino electric systems
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Canadian-built units
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Cleaning up after rodents
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The best generator
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Switching from gas to electric
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Lifting linoleum
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TV upgrades
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Broken seal
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Soft spot in the roof
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A new career
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Our furnace won’t fire
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