Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse National Historic Sites are among the more interesting places to visit on the southern shores of Vancouver Island.
From these twin Colwood landmarks, vistas of First Nations lands, the surrounding mountains, the ocean, our past and the possibilities for a bright future are all “in sight” of visitors.
It’s a combination that has the Arts and Culture Colwood Society excited to present its second-annual In Sight Festival on Sept. 9-10.
“The vast area provided by the Fort Rodd Hill historic site allows us space to bring many artistic presentations which will be enhanced by the great beauty of the forest, land and sea that are all a part of this historic site,” said Laura Davis, a founding member and president of the Arts and Culture Colwood Society.
“The tagline for In Sight is ‘seeing a brighter future,’ and our main goal here is to bring our community together at a grassroots level to gather and rekindle old friendships and make new ones. In the spirit of friendship, we are hoping to see and connect with many Songhees and Esquimalt Nations peoples on this site of their original territory.”
According to Davis, In Sight Festival seeks to establish an occasion for families and individuals to actively experience arts and culture.
It will highlight local artists and cultural traditions by featuring and linking artists with the public. Attendees will be able to enjoy a mosaic of presentations, including music, dance, activities for children, art exhibitions, plein air painters, storytelling, and food. Indigenous artisans will also be exhibiting their work.
In comparison to last year’s festival, which featured only one musical group, In Sight Festival 2023 has scheduled six musical performances. Featured artists at this year’s event include Miguelito Valdes, The Chris Millington Band and Maureen Washington.
The festival will take place on Saturday (Sept. 9) from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday (Sept. 10) from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Lekwungen Dancers will kick things off at 11 a.m. on Saturday, while the event will conclude on Sunday with a dance performance by Joseph’s Singers and Dancers at 3:30 p.m.
“We definitely hope to make this event an annual tradition. It is an annual event and we’re hoping to grow it so that more arts and culture can be a part of this event and thus reaching the community,” Davis said.
For updates on the event, please visit artsandculturecolwood.ca/events or facebook.com/ArtsCultureColwood
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