Arts and culture

Fernie’s Wapiti 2022 music festival. (All photos by Soranne Floarea / For The Free Press)

10th annual Wapiti Music Festival goes off with a bang

The sold out event featured acts including Shred Kelly and The Sheepdogs

  • Aug 8, 2022
Fernie’s Wapiti 2022 music festival. (All photos by Soranne Floarea / For The Free Press)
Fernie local Nesta Malcolm is releasing his first EP, ‘Journals’ later this month. Songs from the EP are inspired by his experiences in Fernie. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)

Fernie artist releases first EP

Nesta Malcolm drew on his experience living in Fernie to write and produce his music

Fernie local Nesta Malcolm is releasing his first EP, ‘Journals’ later this month. Songs from the EP are inspired by his experiences in Fernie. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)
Katherine Russell is a glass artist from Elkford who will be featured in the 2022 Columbia Basin Culture Tour on Aug. 6 and 7. (Courtesy of Katherine Russell)

Elkford glass artist to be featured in 2022 Columbia Basin Culture Tour

Katherine Russell will be showcasing her glass works on Aug. 6 and 7

Katherine Russell is a glass artist from Elkford who will be featured in the 2022 Columbia Basin Culture Tour on Aug. 6 and 7. (Courtesy of Katherine Russell)
The Sheepdogs will be headlining the Wapiti 2022 music festival in Fernie, out of a lineup of 11 bands from Fernie to as far as Toronto. (Image courtesy of Wapiti Music Festival).

Fernie’s Wapiti Music Festival to bring the music

The festival is only a few days away

The Sheepdogs will be headlining the Wapiti 2022 music festival in Fernie, out of a lineup of 11 bands from Fernie to as far as Toronto. (Image courtesy of Wapiti Music Festival).
Eye of the Needle and Fernie Forge owner, Sandra Barrett with some examples of felting – a vase, and a piece of artwork behind her. The flowers are courtesy of her friend, Elizabeth. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)

Culture tour returns to Fernie for 2022

Eye of the Needle is the only local establishment to take part this year

Eye of the Needle and Fernie Forge owner, Sandra Barrett with some examples of felting – a vase, and a piece of artwork behind her. The flowers are courtesy of her friend, Elizabeth. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)
Emmery Martin (left) and Hailey Walsh, students of local artist Monica Beranek, were featured at Sparwood Museum’s July 22, 2022, rendition of ‘Culture on the Lawn.’ (Courtesy of Kim Pryhitko)

Sparwood enjoys Culture on the Lawn

Friday’s event featured local artists Monica Beranek, Hailey Walsh, Emmery Martin and Roger Fairhurst

Emmery Martin (left) and Hailey Walsh, students of local artist Monica Beranek, were featured at Sparwood Museum’s July 22, 2022, rendition of ‘Culture on the Lawn.’ (Courtesy of Kim Pryhitko)
The Fernie band Lush Fleece. (Courtesy of Sean Yunus)

Fernie band Lush Fleece part of new ARC accelerator program

Program participants will partake in career acceleration activities, including a live performance

The Fernie band Lush Fleece. (Courtesy of Sean Yunus)
Station Square will be closed to traffic for the nine Wednesday night socials coming up in 2022. (File photo)

Wednesday Socials back on stage in Fernie

There will be nine Wednesday Socials this year

Station Square will be closed to traffic for the nine Wednesday night socials coming up in 2022. (File photo)
Michael Hepher (centre) at the opening of his exhibit “All in this Together” at the Fernie Museum on June 30 2022. Pictured with executive director of the museum Jim Takenaka, and museum board member Gordon Sombrowski. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)

Fernie Museum summer exhibit opens

The ‘All in this Together’ exhibit will be open at the museum until September 4

Michael Hepher (centre) at the opening of his exhibit “All in this Together” at the Fernie Museum on June 30 2022. Pictured with executive director of the museum Jim Takenaka, and museum board member Gordon Sombrowski. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)
Tara Higgins and Becca Davies with a copy of what their new mural, ‘Grow with the Flow’ will look like when painted onto the grey old wall behind them in downtown Fernie, B.C. over summer 2022. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)

Fernie to ‘Grow with the Flow’ with new mural downtown

Local artists Tara Higgins and Becca Davies will be painting the mural over August

Tara Higgins and Becca Davies with a copy of what their new mural, ‘Grow with the Flow’ will look like when painted onto the grey old wall behind them in downtown Fernie, B.C. over summer 2022. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)
Station Square with the dumpsters being painted as part of the ‘Out of the Box Dumpster Project’ in July 2021. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)

Dumpster art to make a return to Fernie

The Arts Station’s popular beautification project will be back for a seventh year

Station Square with the dumpsters being painted as part of the ‘Out of the Box Dumpster Project’ in July 2021. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)
Picture of the Vancouver art gallery from 2014. (Kay Yamagishi/Flickr)

Sustainability and world class art to meet in new Vancouver Art Gallery building

Federal government kicks in $29 million to help fund ‘passive house’ arts centre in downtown Vancouver

Picture of the Vancouver art gallery from 2014. (Kay Yamagishi/Flickr)
Harrison Firefighter Fred Webber smiles as he holds copies of the two Chicken Soup for the Soul books that contain his story. (Adam Louis/Observer)

Harrison firefighter publishes story in 2 ‘Chicken Soup’ books

Fred Webber fulfilled his firefighting dream in his mid 50s

Harrison Firefighter Fred Webber smiles as he holds copies of the two Chicken Soup for the Soul books that contain his story. (Adam Louis/Observer)
Fernie artist Michael Hepher working on yet another new addition to his solo exhibition, ‘All in this together’, which will go on display at the Fernie Museum gallery from July 1. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)

The Columbia Basin in bright, bold colour: Fernie artist paints the region

Michael Hepher’s solo exhibit ‘All in this together’ will appear at the Fernie Museum gallery from next month

Fernie artist Michael Hepher working on yet another new addition to his solo exhibition, ‘All in this together’, which will go on display at the Fernie Museum gallery from July 1. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)
The Fernie band Chungus. From left to right: Darren Ungaro (guitarist), Hayley ward (singer), Dale Wyatt (bassist), Braydan Mynott (drummer). (Courtesy of Hayley Ward)

Fernie musicians heading to Creston for ‘Battle of the Bands’

The event is taking place at several venues on June 24 and 25

The Fernie band Chungus. From left to right: Darren Ungaro (guitarist), Hayley ward (singer), Dale Wyatt (bassist), Braydan Mynott (drummer). (Courtesy of Hayley Ward)
Dancers from the SoleBeats studio in Fernie along with teacher Cat Javier. Back row, left to right: Paityn LaFace, Isolde Boronowski, Cat Javier, Masha Duval, Ashlyn Reed. Front row, left to right: Andrew Barclay, Clara Duval, Sophia Mould, Freya LaFace, Matilda Eeton. (Joshua Fischlin/The Free Press)

Fernie’s ‘fantastic mini little artists’ from SoleBeats dance studio win awards

The final event for the kids’ season will be on June 26 at the Fernie Community Centre

Dancers from the SoleBeats studio in Fernie along with teacher Cat Javier. Back row, left to right: Paityn LaFace, Isolde Boronowski, Cat Javier, Masha Duval, Ashlyn Reed. Front row, left to right: Andrew Barclay, Clara Duval, Sophia Mould, Freya LaFace, Matilda Eeton. (Joshua Fischlin/The Free Press)
Sparwood Secondary School put on an adaptation of The Chronicles of Narnia called ‘Lucy and the Lion’ from May 10 to 13, 2022. From left: Ethan Bruce as King Peter, Kellie Oler as Queen Susan, Elijah Froehler as King Edmund, and Ava Anderson as Queen Lucy. (Joshua Fischlin/The Free Press)

‘A story worth telling’: Sparwood Secondary School adapts classic fantasy novel on stage

The show ‘Lucy and the Lion’ is an adaptaion of C.S. Lewis’ classic work, The Chronicles of Narnia

Sparwood Secondary School put on an adaptation of The Chronicles of Narnia called ‘Lucy and the Lion’ from May 10 to 13, 2022. From left: Ethan Bruce as King Peter, Kellie Oler as Queen Susan, Elijah Froehler as King Edmund, and Ava Anderson as Queen Lucy. (Joshua Fischlin/The Free Press)
Tayte Mitchell (left) and Evan Mounce (right) will be performing in Fernie at the Mountainside Community Church on May 6, 2022, at the first vocal event hosted by the 88 Keys Grand Piano Society in four years. (Courtesy of Sylvia Elias)

Accomplished musicians coming to Fernie for live vocal recital show

Tayte Mitchell and Evan Mounce are both involved with the Calgary Opera

Tayte Mitchell (left) and Evan Mounce (right) will be performing in Fernie at the Mountainside Community Church on May 6, 2022, at the first vocal event hosted by the 88 Keys Grand Piano Society in four years. (Courtesy of Sylvia Elias)
The Sheepdogs will be headlining the Wapiti 2022 music festival in Fernie, out of a lineup of 11 bands from Fernie to as far as Toronto. (Image courtesy of Wapiti Music Festival).

Summer’s looking brighter for Fernie: Wapiti Music Festival 2022 lineup announced

The lineup of the August music festival includes 11 bands, including Fernie locals and from afar

The Sheepdogs will be headlining the Wapiti 2022 music festival in Fernie, out of a lineup of 11 bands from Fernie to as far as Toronto. (Image courtesy of Wapiti Music Festival).
The Fernie Arts Station on March 29, 2022. (Joshua Fischlin/The Free Press)

Fernie Arts Station renovations to add gender-neutral washrooms, upgraded pottery studio

Building will be closed to the public on Friday, the project is expected to take around two months

The Fernie Arts Station on March 29, 2022. (Joshua Fischlin/The Free Press)