Water's EDGE Festival 2011

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

Many thanks to everyone who helped make the 2011 Water’s Edge Festival fabulous!  The three days seemed to fly by with so much going on, but the memories will last forever. Whether you experienced one event or the entire weekend, we thank you for attending and engaging in the Arts.

There were so many highlights, so many joyful faces, and people truly moved by their experiences, whether they be humming and strumming, or singing and drumming, dancing or painting, listening or appreciating… One participant said “this is like my annual Art holiday in the middle of winter!”.  Another said she “felt full, like after a great meal, that feeling of being totally satisfied and happy.”

Many remarked on the warm, friendly feeling at the festival, and the opportunities to visit and mingle with friends while enjoying the concerts, art show or SONG café. Lots of visitors commented on how great it was to enjoy local artists and performers alongside the marquee performances.

Water’s Edge Festival saw record numbers of participants this year, with most of the 19 events near capacity. More than 90 artists were featured in this year’s festival, including professionals, youth performers and emerging talent. Event organizers are proud that the goal of being able to offer mentorship opportunities for young artists was realized at the festival.

A theme of “collaboration” emerged organically at this year’s festival:  PechaKucha presenters each approached this topic in some way; a number of artists “co-presented”; the staff of three distinct organizations worked together and shared ideas to bring the festival together; social media guru Angela Crocker shared knowledge with event organizers, empowering them to incorporate these ideas into their own work.

A grassroots festival like this takes passionate people in order to pull it all together. More than 57 volunteers were welcoming and helpful at every turn, creating a positive experience for visitors. Presenting partners ArtsConnect, Evergreen Cultural Centre and Coastal Sound Music Academy thank all of the artists, presenters, performers and staff for exceeding expectations at Water’s Edge Festival 2011.

The support of the City of Coquitlam, Mayor Richard Steward and attending council members Linda Reimer and Barry Lynch was appreciated. Stephanie Cadieux, Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development attended the PechaKucha night and was most complimentary.

We were thrilled to be able to offer so many workshops FREE to the public, thanks to the generous funding of BC Spirit Festivals, BC Arts Council, the province of British Columbia and our media sponsor, Tri-City News.

All of us at Water’s Edge thank you for your support and encouragement for this third Water’s Edge Festival.