Shop local this holiday season! This OCAC supporter is at 6365 Main Street and has beautiful handmade gifts made with stones, gems and crystals. A pot of tea is brewing as you enter. You will feel right at home when meeting Aaron and Laura. Check out their web-site: https://exhaleart.gallery/ You will certainly see something you will love at first sight.
These talented, creative artists are also OCAC supporters. Let’s support them by attending their show. 🔔
Visit another of our OCAC supporters! Shop local!
Only a few days left! Come get your free recipes from another of our OCAC supporters!
Support one our members by visiting and shopping at the The Painted Chair. Have you been there? It is a place where magic happens.
Oliver Community Light Up & Fireworks Celebration!
Date: Friday, November 29, 2024 Time: 4:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Locations: Triangle Park, Town Hall, Main Street, Oliver Visitor Centre & Lions Park
Join the Town of Oliver, Chamber of Commerce, Oliver and District Recreation, Oliver Tourism Association, and the Oliver Light Up Committee for our annual Light Up celebration! This cherished community event is brimming with holiday cheer, family-friendly activities, and unforgettable festive moments.
Festivities Kick-Off at 4:00 PM
Light-Up Ceremony Schedule
Continue the Festivities!
6:30pm – 8.30pm
Lions Park:
Oliver Visitor Centre:
Fireworks Display at 8:00 PM
Community Giving:
Please consider bringing donations to support the local Oliver Food Bank and the Christmas Children’s Hamper. Every contribution helps spread holiday joy to those in need. These can be dropped off at the Oliver Visitor Centre starting at 10am on Friday Nov 29th.
More Holiday Fun on Saturday, November 30!
Gather your loved ones and experience the magic, warmth, and joy of the holiday season in Oliver! This is a community celebration you won’t want to miss!
“It’s a ‘new and blue’ theme this summer, after last year’s ‘tried and true’ lineup,” says organizer Penelope Johnson of Oliver’s Music in the Park. “We’re thrilled that half of this summer’s bands are new to our stage, and a few will be including some blues and bluegrass in the mix.” Of course, concerts will pump out the rock and pop classics, with big band and world music as well.
Music in the Park run 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. at the Oliver Community Bandshell, admission by donation, with $5 a suggested minimum. An inclement weather venue is in the community hall next door. All shows have food truck service. Audiences are invited to bring a chair and some shades to enjoy the concerts.
Award-winning rock band Moving Lines (pictured below) has been described as “hyper-intense”, with powerhouse vocals from Jill Fai and meaty guitar licks from Kevin Fai. Backed up with bass and drums, Moving Lines opens the season on July 4 with an energetic show.
UPDATE #1 Crowd pleasers REBEL LUV take the stage on Thursday July 11, replacing blues-rock super group, Yard Katz, due to a sudden medical emergency. Duo Mikie and Ken mix it up with rock, country and pop tunes. Always dedicated pros, we expect a great couple of sets from these two seasoned rockers!
Big bands are always popular at Music in the Park. On July 18, the South Okanagan Big Band takes the stage, with jazz standards from the 40s plus a variety of pop hits. Their date includes a food drive for the Oliver Food Bank, with non-perishable items collected that evening.
Ranging from mellow country and bluegrass to manic rock, The Melomaniacs (pictured below) as their name suggests, cover the gamut of popular music. The guitar-playing duo adds in wailing harp, stomp box and snappy banjo rolls for a full eclectic sound on July 25.
On August 1, the crowd-pleasing Rollin’ Coal trio returns for a mix of Latin and pop classics, lead by remarkable vocalist Sue Ruuska and backed by stand-up bass, sax and guitar. “Sue’s a ‘unicorn’,” explains Johnson, “her unique voice ranges from rich alto to clear mezzo, and she always packs an emotional punch.”
UPDATE #2 Returning for a third year in a row on August 8 are the magnificent Blueshounds. These gents play boogie blues with Gerry Pearson’s harmonica and vocals front and centre. Expect great guitar licks from Lefty Stewart. We’re also super excited to see Rob Robertson and Cliffe Fraser in the band this year — previously of Rob ‘n’ Walker. The Blueshounds replace Synergy after they had to bow out this season.
The summer closes with two familiar favourites. 13 Broken Bones (pictured above) rocks the park on August 15. Gutsy vocalist Jacquie Demoskoff powers over the guitars, keyboards and drums to deliver hits from the ladies of rock. Closing out the summer with a bang on August 22, Nankama Drum and Dance bring West African rhythms to the stage. A mix of beats, stories, and dancing gives way in the second half to an interactive drumming circle. Families with children particularly enjoy this concert.
Every concert provides picnic fare. Pit Stop Smokery shares its smoky goodness on July 4, 18, August 8 and 22. Law of Attraction serves upscale tacos, paninis, and poutine on remaining nights. EnRoute Espresso & Tea brings a truckload of iced and hot beverages plus snacks and treats. An arts council market will promote the activities and wares of its members at many of the concerts.
Music in the Park is a program of the Oliver Community Arts Council.
CANCELLED: The Fall Art Show and Sale 2024 has been cancelled for a variety of reasons. Please stay tuned for another art show in the future!
CANCELLED: The Fall Art Show and Sale 2024 has been cancelled for a variety of reasons. Please stay tuned for another art show in the future!
The Oliver Community Arts Council announces its Fall Art Show and Sale (FASS) on Saturday September 21 and Sunday September 22, 2024. The theme is ELEMENTS. The event runs concurrently with the Wine Capital Weekend dates on the third weekend of September, new as of last year. Our two-day event includes a competition in nine categories, public voting, exhibits and demos by featured artists, live entertainment, reception, and draws for wine-themed prizes. Please spread the word to artists you know!
Visual artists in all media and of all ages are encouraged to enter.
Categories include Photography, Fibre Arts, Oils, Acrylics, Watercolours, Three-Dimensional, and Mixed/Other Media. Youth categories (Emerging Artists and Budding Artists) accept any visual medium.
Awards are given in each category, as well as an overall “Best in Show”.
THEME: Elements Every other year we select a theme to inspire you! You may choose to follow the theme, but it is not required. The public votes for winners in each category regardless of theme. Only the overall Best in Show is awarded to “Best Interpretation of the Theme”. Need some inspiration? Contact OliverCAC@gmail.com for many suggestions on how to incorporate the theme in your medium, your technique, your subject matter or even in expressing your artistic personality. There are so many possibilities! You may already have ready-made art that fits the theme. But if not, submit anyway!
Entry forms must be received by Sunday September 1, 2024. Early bird draw! Submit your form and fee before that date for a chance to win back your entry fee OR enter a second piece for free.
Youth category entries receive an extension of one week: Sunday September 8, 2023 to because back-to-school schedules can be a challenge! Contact us if you need assistance.
Artwork need not be completed by the entry form submission date. Completed artwork is delivered to the venue on the morning of the show, Saturday September 21. This gives artists up to three extra weeks to complete their piece(s).
We have NEW and IMPROVED forms for the FASS! Go to our Entry Form page HERE and scroll down to “Fall Art Show and Sale” for the Entry Form, the Terms and Guidelines with Category definitions, plus an Artist FAQ and other helpful material.
Membership in the Oliver Community Arts Council is not required but does reduce the entry fee for Adult submissions. The Emerging Artist (teen) submission is $10. For Budding Artists (12 and under) the fee is waived but numbers may be limited. NEW memberships received as part of your FASS entry will be activated at time of submission AND will also be good through all of 2025. Just a little incentive for newcomers. If you are uncertain of your current membership status, please contact us.
Hard copies of the entry forms will be available at the Quail’s Nest Arts Centre, and at the Oliver Visitors Information Centre (historic CPR Station).
Entry forms may be returned by: 1. MAIL, with your entry fee (and membership if applicable). 2. IN PERSON by dropping off paperwork in a sealed envelope with CHEQUE(s) at the Oliver Visitor Centre. 3. SCAN & EMAIL with E-TRANSFER to OliverCAC@gmail.com . E-Transfers must include the memo “FASS Entry Fee” (and “Membership 2024” if applicable). Please send BOTH on the SAME day.
Oliver’s art community opens its doors wide to welcome the public to an open house celebration. The bay doors roll up at Oliver’s Quail’s Nest Arts Centre for their spring open house on Sunday May 19th between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Visitors will find art exhibits, demonstrations, and sales of handicraft. Adding to the festive atmosphere will be live music, hot food, children’s art activities, and door prizes. Admission is free.
Information booths will introduce visitors to many local artists, upcoming arts events, and ways to become active in the arts community. The Double O Quilters and Desert Sage Spinners and Weavers display their fibre arts talents. The Sage Valley Voices hosts a bake sale to raise funds for their community choir and attract new singers. The Oliver Sagebrushers exhibit their latest paintings. Kreutopia Arts demonstrates and sells vibrant wax paintings.
SOAP Theatre invites the public into Big Blue: their rehearsal space, costume warehouse and set building workshop. Visit in the morning for a tour, or drop in between 1-3 p.m. during SOAP’s open auditions for their fall production, The Play that Goes Wrong. Theatre buffs can listen in on the audition process, or try out for a role. The slapstick “play-within-a-play” follows the hilarious misadventures of a hapless troupe of actors who lurch from one onstage disaster to another. Stage shy? SOAP also welcomes newcomers to their backstage crew.
During the middle of the day, folk-rock duo Badgentina (aka Stephen and Lisa Toon) cover classics from the 70s and 80s from Neil Young to Sting, and may surprise the audience with some original “toons”.
A large marquee provides the perfect location to rock out to the music, eat a tasty meal from Bo Betty’s food truck, or indulge in a little crafting. Children’s activities include quail-themed craft projects, colouring pages, and some quirky quail dress-up opportunities at the photo booth. Big “kids” are welcome to dress up too.
The arts council will be promoting their upcoming programs and events. Learn more about the summer Music in the Park, the Fall Art Show and Sale, and CreateAbility. Handbills, entry forms, and memberships will be available. Enter the draw for door prizes. Those interested in renting the arts centre can tour the site’s amenities and view a large-screen slideshow of past activities.
All artists are members of the Oliver Community Arts Council, the organizers behind this colourful event. The arts council will promote their own programs and events, including CreateAbility, Music in the Park, and the Fall Art Show and Sale. Handbills, entry forms, and memberships will be available. Door prizes include home decor, handicrafts, and accessories.
The Quail’s Nest Open House welcomes the public to see what art is hatching at 5840 Airport Street, Oliver. Follow the signs for public parking on the north side of Big Blue. For more information, visit OliverArtsCouncil.org.
The call has gone out for volunteers to make the Fall Art Show & Sale a success from September 22-24. Yes it’s EARLY this year, and time is flying! Please lend a hand wherever you can. Email OliverCAC@gmail.com
Last year we had terrific crews, so generous and helpful, and really made the show a success! You may be on this mailing list because you were so great in a previous year! 🙂 Please tap a friend or colleague to join you, or ask your art groups, even adult children! Sometimes it’s fun to share a shift with someone you know. All the shifts are fun, simple, and suit different personalities.
SHY? FIRST TIME? Invite a friend or family member to share your shift. We email written guidelines in advance. No one works alone or unsupervised. Take a quiet shift like reception or balloting.
SOCIABLE? Join one of the teams like setup or display or be a greeter. There’s a real sense of accomplishment and pride. We strive to keep things fun and friendly.
NO EXPERIENCE REQUIRED: You do not have to be an artist. We team up new people with someone more experienced.
SHIFTS: Most shifts are 3 hours. Many people sign up for more than one, to sample a few different aspects of the event on different days.
NOTE: Sunday volunteers receive a free entrance to the Festival of the Grape.
FRIDAY September 22 (6:00 – 9:00 p.m. or earlier): Min 8 people
SET UP CREW: Loading and SetUp: Load up, transport, unload, and set out display materials: grids, plinths, tablecloths, decorations …. . We should have a big trailer pre-loaded (fingers crossed!). Nothing heavy. Light decor jobs too: setting tables, hanging grid cloths. Often done by 8:00 p.m.
SATURDAY September 23: ART INTAKE & DISPLAY Min. 12 – 15 people
Art Intake & Movers (8:00 – 10:00 a.m.): Help move incoming artwork to category areas in hall. This is easy!!
Display Team (10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.): Oooh! This is fun! Arrange artwork around the hall. Work in pairs. Make the place beautiful! A good eye for colour and arranging helps.
You can stay for both if you like! Bring a bag lunch. Often finished by 1:00 p.m.
SATURDAY September 23: ART SHOW teams (3 – 6 p.m. and / or 6 – 9 p.m.)
Lobby Greeters: greet visitors, promote wine fridge draw, sell draw tickets, accept entry donations
Art Show Greeters: Greet visitors, offer art catalogue and ballot, accept completed ballots
Ballotters: tally votes for art show winners. (5:30 – 8:30 p.m.) Quiet and easy. Lots of time to tour the display between counting ballots! Artists welcome but you will not count your own category.
Art Show Helpers: stroll the exhibit, chat, answer questions, give directions, keep art secure, help sell art. Great opportunity for artists to mingle with admirers!
Reception: lay out desserts, fruit, make punch. (1 – 3 people, approx 6 – 9 p.m.)
Information / Sales Table: hand out art information, sell memberships (co-ordinate with art sales person)
SUNDAY September 24: ART SHOW teams (12:00 – 3:00 p.m. and / or 2:30 – 5:30 p.m.)
Lobby Greeters: raffle off a wine fridge, take entry donations
Art Show Helpers: stroll the exhibit, chat, answer questions, give directions, keep art secure, help sell art
Information / Sales Table: hand out art information, sell memberships (co-ordinate with art sales person)
SUNDAY September 24:ART RETURN / CLEANUP
Art Return (4:30 – 6 p.m.) Secure all doors, usher out visitors. Return artwork to artists.
Cleanup Crew (4:30 – 7:30 p.m.) Dismantle grids, fold linens, sort and pack up supplies. Goes pretty quickly if we have a big crew!
PERK ALERT: Often the same people who set up like to clean up as well. This gives Friday people a chance to enter the Festival of the Grape on Sunday before their shift! Just have fun in moderation please.
This is a HUGE event, needing many helpers to make it successful. Please lend us a hand! It is well worth the effort with pride in a job well done. Email OliverCAC@gmail.com
After a “feat” of preparation, Oliver’s Music in the Park committee is sure that feet will be dancing on the grass on Thursday evenings this summer. Shows run 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. at the Oliver Community Bandshell, admission by donation, with $5 a suggested minimum. An inclement weather venue is in the community hall next door. All shows will have food truck service. Audiences are invited to bring a chair, shades, and picnic items to enjoy the concerts. SEE POSTER BELOW.
Lining up the roster of performers was an easy feat this spring. All bands are tried-and-true audience favourites from the last six years. The Room to Dance duo of JC and Andy Plett return with groovin’ pop tunes to open the season on Thursday July 6. Rebel Luv’s Mikie and Ken on July 13 always get the audience up on their feet and moving.
Big vocals are a prerequisite for band shell performers. Lisa Salting, the gutsy lead singer of Naramata’s Uncorked! band is a fine example, and will rock it out of the park on July 20.
Audiences will be anticipating the return of The Blueshounds, who put on a high energy, hot performance last summer. A hooting hollering standing ovation rewarded the band’s sweaty workout on harmonica and blues guitar last year. Their July 27 date is also the Feed the Valley food drive. Goods will be collected by Oliver Food Bank.
On August 3, the Cliff McIntyre Band (a play on MacIntyre Bluff) returns after being almost rained out last year. The hardiest audience members crammed onto the stage to party with the band, dancing until the sun reappeared. Their mix of Americana, folk-rock deserves two full sets in the sunshine this summer, so sun dance moves are recommended to stave off any rain.
The Naden Band (Royal Canadian Navy) makes a welcome return August 10 after a hiatus of several years. Show tunes, jazz, sea shanties, pop… they play it all. Their bright brass and bright whites always impress the audience. This summer the Naval Security Team will exhibit a ridged hull inflatable boat along with other promotional displays.
Sister Soul brings the boys along on August 17. Fans of Diane’s sweet melodies and sister Joanne’s complementary hard rockin’ vocals will love the full sound of the Rattler’s Band on backup.
Winding up the summer on August 24 is the charismatic rocker Steve Jones and his “Patio Bandits”. Monika harmonizes and Ryan plays stellar keyboards. Steve, with several albums to his credit, connects well with audiences and earned a rousing ovation with his last Music in the Park appearance.
The Music in the Park committee has secured mouth-watering dinner fare for concert goers this summer. Two new food trucks will pull up on site at the bandshell on Thursday nights. Pit Stop Smokery shares its smoky goodness on July 6, and August 10, 17, and 24. Law of Attraction serves upscale tacos, paninis, and poutine on remaining nights. EnRoute Espresso & Tea returns with a truckload of iced and hot beverages plus baked goods for after-supper munchies. An arts council market will promote the activities and wares of its members at many of the concerts.
Art is hatching in Oliver this spring. The bay doors roll up at Oliver’s Quail’s Nest Arts Centre for their second open house on Sunday May 28th between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Visitors will discover art exhibits, sales, and demonstrations, as well as live music, children’s art activities, and door prizes. Information booths will introduce visitors to many local artists, upcoming arts events, and ways to become active in the arts community. Admission is free, although there are also opportunities to purchase wares.
Writers, fibre artists, painters, quilters, jewelers, and multimedia artists will all showcase their creativity. Shoppers can purchase art cards, handcrafted jewelry, pine needle baskets, clothing and souvenirs. More than just a market, the event salutes local arts-and-culture groups who want to display and demonstrate their craft. “We will see not only some favourites, but some soon-to-be favourites,” says JoAnn Turner, Oliver’s arts council president. JoAnn is excited to welcome newcomers including the Wine Country Writers Festival, a Mexican handcrafter, and an indigenous society selling merchandise in support of reconciliation and mental health.
The Desert Sage Spinners and Weavers, Kreutopia encaustic art, and GNR Alpaca Boutique will demonstrate their skills. The RipOff Artists are set to reveal what famous Canadian painter they will reproduce in their summer studio. Turner adds, “SOSS Art Club students will partner with the RipOffs this year, and have impressive art on display.” The Ukraine Nightingale Project will raffle a quilt and also sell merchandise in support of the refugee crisis. “Art is interactive and wide-ranging,” explains JoAnn, “and we’re always trying to capture that variety.”
Door prizes include a gift certificate from Sagebrush Nursery paired with gardening supplies, bottles of wine from Kismet Estate Winery and River Stone Estate Winery paired with wine glasses, and several beautiful home decor items.
Children’s activities include quail-themed craft projects, colouring pages, and some quirky quail dress-up opportunities at the photo booth. Oliver Ambassadors will guide little hands although parental supervision is required. Folk duo Markin and Celli will create a relaxing, friendly atmosphere, singing a mix of Americana, folk, and their own compositions.
All artists are members of the Oliver Community Arts Council, the organizers behind this colourful event. The arts council will promote their own programs and events, including CreateAbility, Music in the Park, and the Fall Art Show and Sale. Handbills, entry forms, and memberships will be available.
The Quail’s Nest Open House welcomes the public to see what art is hatching at 5840 Airport Street, Oliver. Public parking is available on the north side of Big Blue.
If you love quilts, Oliver’s Quilts and Beyond show is the quilt-essential place to be. The event runs on April 14 and 15, 2023 at the Oliver Community Centre, 6359 Park Drive.
The Double O Quilters have hosted this quilting show every three years and drawing hundreds of people from all over the province for the last 30 years.
The two-day show includes demonstrations, a silent auction on several quilted artworks and other products, public voting, and sales of quilting supplies. There are also refreshments served in the “cafe” area.
This year Quilts and Beyond includes a special challenge section for participating artists. This year the theme is “Rainbow”, with contributed works including various interpretations in colour, form, and abstract interpretations. The finished works will be a surprise, both to other guild members as well as the public. These Rainbow Challenge entries have their own voting and special awards.
Quilts range in size from enormous king-size bedspreads to small banners, table toppers, linens, and accessories. Everyone can enjoy the colour palettes and patterns without needing to be a quilter or sewer. Artistic talent abounds, with some national and international award winners entering the show.
Admission is by donation. As an extra incentive for donating, every visitor will receive a small felted heart with a message on them a souvenir.
Among the many quilters that will be in attendance at the show will be Colleen Baptiste who works in human resources at the Osoyoos Indian Band teaching homemaking and life skills. In her free time she enjoys trying out new creative quilting skills.
She joined the Double O Quilters 25 years ago, and ever since she has been creating quilted comforts for her three children, two grandchildren and friends.
About 15 years ago, she created a block representing the Okanagan Nation for the internationally acclaimed Quilt of Belonging, and she has been making the annual SOSS Grad Award quilt from the Guild for the last 14 years. She particularly enjoys the camaraderie of the guild.
Quilts & Beyond will take place Friday, April 14, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday, April 15, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Oliver Community Hall on Park Drive. Entry to the event is by donation.
