BC Leather Works has recently joined the Oliver Community Arts Council as a business member. Welcome!

You will get to meet them — if you haven’t already — at the Spring Arts Faire. They will selling their fine leather products as well as marketing their repair and custom services. Yes, they have belts, purses, and wallets, and yes, they do shoe repair. But did you know they also make clothing (vests, jackets, chaps, aboriginal regalia) as well as holsters, scabbards and sheaths for everything from knives to rifles to your favourite bottle of beer?

Here’s what proprietor Chris Dricos has to say about his love of leatherworking:

“As I was growing up I remember going with my dad to his shop in Kerrisdale, Vancouver as he was working I would play climbing in and around the chairs and foot stools that lined the wall for people to sit and wait for there shoes to be repaired. As years went by I went from climbing through the chairs to shinning shoes while customers were waiting and learning how to repair & dying shoes back in those days Ladies had satin shoes that they would change colours. Over the years I would work after school and on weekends working along side may dad.

” In 1969 I met Barb my wife and in 1970 got married. In the early 70’s we sold hand crafted belts to the Hudsons Bay in downtown Vancouver. In the later 70’s we moved to 100 Mile House, BC and operated a shoe repair & leather working business for a number of years.

“From there we moved to Oliver, BC not knowing what I would be doing. Just happened that there was a shoe repair that was looking for someone to do repairs. After 1 1/2 years the owner wanted to cease doing repairs and offered the equipment to us. Barb and I talked it over and Realizing what a gift My Father had passed onto me and that it was something we could do into our Golden Years Barb bought me the equipment we started the shoe repair business. I have heard Barb saying to others it is nice to hear me whistling while I work.”

Check out their link on the right side of the page under “Businesses” or here: www.bcleatherworks.ca

Photo Credit: Jack Bennest, Oliver Daily News

Medici’s is once again both honoured and pleased to present the Okanagan Valley’s concert event of the season. On Thursday March 19^th the fantastic Irish Band, Goitse (pronounced gwit-cha) takes to our stage — barely on the heels of St. Patrick’s Day!

Goitse is an informal Gaelic Irish greeting meaning ‘come here’, and come here you had better. This red hot traditional Irish band is finishing off their North American tour by playing their way across Canada before heading for home. We talked our way into a concert here at Medici’s.

Forged in the creative crucible of Limerick University’s Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, the quintet have graduated with a musical maturity worthy of the greatest. They are one of the most sought after bands among connoisseurs of Irish Traditional music cross the globe. The band has skyrocketed to the forefront of the traditional Irish music scene.

Their distinctive sound lies in the quality of their own compositions interspersed with traditional tunes from Ireland and abroad. Laying the foundations for their music are World and All-Ireland bodhrán champion Colm Phelan. The fine guitar work of Conal O’Kane. The sweet, charismatic voice and fiddle playing of Áine McGeeney. Multi-award-winning banjo and mandolin virtuoso James Harvey and piano/piano accordionist, Tadhg ÓMeachair.. Lace up your dancing shoes and get ready for a night of wonderful music and fast paced fun with Goitse.

We have planned seating and limited tickets available at $40 / person. Medici’s is at 522 Fairview Road in Oliver (250-498-2228) We will open our doors at 6:30 and Goitse will take to the stage at 7:30. We are licensed! This will be one for the ages; do not miss this!