Parkland Secondary School students are coming together to host SidFest, an event showcasing student musical talent as well as supporting a local charity.
This is the fifth year the school has put on the fundraising concert. Roger Young, the youth and family counsellor at the school, says everyone is pretty excited by how successful the previous years have been. Each year the Mary Winspear Centre has donated its Charlie White Theatre as a venue and the Sidney North Saanich RCMP cover the costs of the sound engineers for the show.
This year the proceeds from the event go to Beacon of Hope House in Victoria, a six-bed supportive residential recovery facility for male youth on Vancouver Island.
“In this particular year where the opioid crisis has swept the country we need more support and recovery beds,” says Young. “And with the Fentanyl crisis affecting how kids think and feel … it’s a bit frightening.”
Keltie Manderville, manager of Hope House, said she is very excited Parkland has selected Hope House this year, the gesture goes well beyond the actual donation.
“The community support shown by this generous gift will emphasize to the kids that there are people out there who care about them as they work towards building a new future,” Manderville said.
Although Parkland hosts the annual event, students from surrounding schools are able to perform in the concert. Young says Stelly’s Secondary School students have been really involved and supportive.
Matt Franceschini, a Grade 12 Stelly’s student, will be rocking out in a solo-instrumental performance. Franceschini plays live guitar over backing tracks of drums and other instruments he has pre-recorded. He’s been playing for nine years.
A crowd favourite will also be back this year, the All Star Band. The band features a collection of students, along with graduates, who have all played previous SidFest’s. On drums is Parkland’s Jasper Kgernisted, Grade 12, who has really gotten into selling tickets. Kgernisted has already sold 65 tickets himself.
Addison McDonald, SidFest student MC and coordinator, is excited about the upcoming show and the local talent.
“There’s brand new students, new talent and returning students. There’s going to be high quality music and musicians that I’ve seen play live,” McDonald says.
Some of that local talent is Stelly’s Ruth Manese, Grade 10, and her band. Manese says her band formed in July 2016 and they’re still exploring their sound, but they plan to play a mix of original songs and covers.
SidFest is Saturday, May 13 at the Charlie White Theatre at the Mary Winspear Centre, 2243 Beacon Ave. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show begins at 7:30, ending at 9.
Tickets are $10, available at the box office, marywinspear.ca, by calling 250-656-0275 or from any of the performers.