Sailing into the Sunshine Coast in time for Festival Season 
What draws me out to the coast is the water. The anticipation of sitting outside on the BC ferry deck cross-legged with a journal in my lap. What draws me out is the wind whipping by my face, peeling the fatigue of mainland life into the folds of the whitecaps. What draws me out to the coast is my brother in Roberts Creek. Him showing me the mandala the community gathers around and repaints in vibrant colour year after year. What draws me out to the coast is the dangerous wonder of the Skookumchuk Narrows and the warm meal awaiting me at the Backeddy Pub.
October is the month to visit the Sunshine Coast. The 13th Annual Sechelt Arts Festival kicks off October 13th and runs through the 23rd, the Sunshine Coast Art Crawl weekend falls on October 21-23 and the 8th Annual Mushroom Festival, presented by the Society For The Hunting, Recognition and Observation of Mushrooms (Yes, you heard that right) takes place October 14-16.
In this issue of The Curated Community, we speak with Diana Robertson, Associate Producer of the Sechelt Arts Festival, and Ann Nelson of The Patricia Theatre and Powell River Council for Arts, to tap the pulse of the Coast.
“People often think we are on an island,” says Robertson. “But the truth is, the Sunshine Coast is part of the Lower Mainland, but only accessible by water or plane.”
The south Sunshine Coast is only 40 minutes by BC ferry, 30 minutes by Pacific Ferries, or a hop, skip and jump on Harbour Air (regular flights departing from downtown, YVR, Victoria and Nanaimo) to Sechelt.
This Fall’s for “festivaling” on the Coast. Get to it.
BC’s Guide to Arts and Culture
