I'm pleased to say that we have an almost complete line-up for this summer's 10th Annual Princeton Traditional Music Festival. The following performers are confirmed and a few others not yet confirmed will join them:

Mary Armitage, Alex Atamanenko & Jennifer Voykin, Jon Bartlett & Rika Ruebsaat, Blackie & Pete, Bob Bossin, Cat Mac, Clare Boucher & Brad Hurley, Marian Buechert, Linda Chobotuck, "Clare"ity, Barry Cole, Coming & Going, Barbara & David Denz, The Digitary Do's. Mark Dowding & Leah Williams, Les Fleurs Sauvages, John Gothard, Rosaleen Gregory, Jason Hall, Tim Hall, Hard Row, David Ingerson, The Irish Wakers, Jim & Madeleine, Jugbandits, David Kessler, John Kidder, Liberty, Lyn & Stoney, Allan Markin, Martingale, The Merry Mckentys, Mike & Nakos, Murphy, Middaugh & Rideout, Harry & Jenny O'Neill, Rattlebone Band, Ravensong, Tom Rawson, Doug Reid, The Relative Miners, Brian Robertson, Harley Rothstein, Norbert Ruebsaat, Helen Shilladay, Patrick Spearing, Triskele, The Van Lidth De Jeude Family, Vancouver Morris Men, Vazzy, Voices Three, The Wheat in the Barley, Whiskey & The Wailin Witch, and Without A Net.

In addition to the much admired workshops held last year (Banjo, French song, The Celtic Jam, the Shanty Session and Ballads), we plan to add workshops of sea songs, songs of social significance, and fiddle.

The Festival takes place as usual on three stages in the centre of Princeton, and begins, as last year, with a public street dance and an Irish ceili band. Saturday and Sunday are given over, between the hours of 10 am to 6 pm, to a potpourri of concerts, workshops, panels and jams.

Music won't just be found on the stages – mini-jams and guerilla dances are liable to happen anywhere in town culminating in a Saturday evening town-wide party.

The Festival is free, though it asks its audiences to help with donations. It is supported by the Town, the local District, the Province of BC and by a federal grant from Heritage Canada, and is an all-volunteer festival – all the performers, the organizers and the volunteers do it for the love of the music.

Princeton, with a population of some 2,600, is just to the east of the Cascade Mountains, some 300 km from Vancouver. Its location (in the rainshadow of the mountains) means that it's hot and dry from May to September. Bring a hat or buy one of the Festival's! If you get too hot, we have two rivers (Tulameen and Similkameen, which meet in town) to swim in. There is a daily bus from Vancouver and flights from Penticton some 75 minutes away. There are numerous motels in and around town (book soon!), and bed and breakfasts throughout the Similkameen valley. There are also campgrounds close to town. Check out our website at www.princetontraditional.org

Jon Bartlett, Coordinator