A festival organizer may have Langford in his sights, with downtown Victoria firmly set in his rearview mirror.
John Vickers, executive director of the Victoria International Buskers Festival Society, is in preliminary talks with two Langford-based groups about the potential for hosting a busker festival in 2018.
He met with the City of LangfordB次元官网网址檚 parks, recreation, culture and beautification committee late last month, and has since been in contact with the Metchosin Farmers Institute and Ecoasis Developments about the potential for the festival to take place at the Luxton Fairground or Bear Mountain.
B次元官网网址淎t this point weB次元官网网址檙e still knocking on doors,B次元官网网址� Vickers said. B次元官网网址淚 think it would be great out there. We have thousands (of people) come in from the West Shore.B次元官网网址�
The response from West Shore groups and individuals has been a nice change from some heB次元官网网址檚 received from the downtown community, he added. B次元官网网址淲ith the circumstances downtown weB次元官网网址檒l be looking for a new home in 2018 B次元官网网址� It certainly could be someone elseB次元官网网址檚 gain.B次元官网网址�
After six years of operating in downtown Victoria, the summer festival has been cancelled for 2017. In November the Downtown Victoria Business Association announced the launch of the Downtown Victoria Buskers Festival, which is scheduled for July 2017. Tourism Victoria also announced it would no longer be providing financial support for VickersB次元官网网址� festival and pledged support for the DVBA event.
The society lost about $40,000 in potential funding, which Vickers noted is about 25 per cent of their budget. Without that funding, he added they werenB次元官网网址檛 able to do a lot of the winter administrative work, such as applying for grants.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e a non-profit without funding. WeB次元官网网址檙e kind of dead in the water,B次元官网网址� he said, adding the society is looking to connect with a host that would also be willing to help operate the festival moving forward. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檒l see where the dust settles.B次元官网网址�
katie@goldstreamgazette.com
