The Grist Mill and Gardens has now started planning our 2016 schedule of events and have numerous opportunities for musicians and entertainers.
1) Summer Concert Series
The Grist Mill is a 12 acre Provincial Heritage Site in the heart of the Similkameen Valley featuring western Canada’s only working waterwheel-powered flour mill and stunning gardens. Our Summer Kitchen provides an intimate, rustic outdoor venue for folk, roots and world music for audiences of up to 200 from June to Sept.
The last three years, we’ve hosted an evening concert series and hope to do the same this summer, with a further expanded lineup. (Four shows in 2013, six in 2014 and ten in 2015.) The series features one outdoor evening show a week from Mid-July to early September, timed to coincide with the spectacular sunsets here in the Similkameen Valley. Dates are somewhat flexible, but we’d prefer Thursday to Saturday evenings to ensure the largest possible audiences.
If you’re part of a group of no more than four members that might be suitable for headlining one of these shows, we’d love to hear from you.
2) Special Event Days
Each year, the Grist Mill hosts a number of special event days with our partners including Victoria Day (May 23), Father’s Day (Jun 19), Canada Day (Jul 1), BC Day (Aug 1) and Labour Day (Sept 5) as well as our Fall Fair (Sept 18) and Apple Day festival (Oct 10). We’re always looking for musicians or other performers interested in being a part of these family-oriented events and we can accommodate amplified performances in our Summer Kitchen, roving or busking style performances throughout our site and more.
3) Private Events
The Grist Mill often hosts events such as weddings, reunions or private receptions are are often asked for a list of recommended musical acts to play unamplified in our gardens for their event. Classical guitar, wind or string trios or quartets would be ideal for these sorts of opportunities.
If you’re interested in any of these opportunities, please contact us at entertainers@oldgristmill.ca no later than Feb 1, 2016 with the following information:
- Group/Artist Name
- Main Contact and contact information (phone #, email address, etc)
- Theme/Style of Music or Type of Act
- Number of performers in act
- Available Dates & Times
- A brief overview of the experience and background of the act
- The rundown of the equipment requirements for your performance
- Compensation expectations
- Any other information you think would help us find the perfect opportunity for you
We would also appreciate a sample of you performing, either a video or audio recording. You can email us links or mail us CDs or DVDs, whatever is most appropriate. If you don’t have recordings, we may request an in-person audition.
Please direct all questions or submissions to Chris Mathieson, Site Operator at entertainers@oldgristmill.ca.