Some people would think that a tiny town like Sooke – with a population of around 10,000 – wouldn’t have much of an arts and culture scene. Those people would be very, very wrong! Since moving to Sooke four years ago, I’ve come to appreciate and take pride in our thriving arts community – from photographers and painters, to potters and glassworkers, Sooke’s art and culture scene is really first-rate.
One of the true gems of our small Island town is the Sooke Philharmonic Orchestra. That’s right, a symphony, in Sooke. This wonderful group of performers was formed in 1997 and, led by Norman Nelson, now performs 12 concerts per year in the region, plus their ever-popular summer Fling concert, held every July in Ed Macgregor Park.
This year’s event, the eighth annual, will be held on July 19th at the park, beginning at 2:30. The gates will be open at 1:00 to allow concertgoers to arrive early to stake out a good spot on the lawn at the park.
I attended for the first time last year and was really moved. You definitely don’t want to miss this fantastic free family event. It’s a pops concert, so there will be something for everyone and you will probably recognize most of the music, even if you’re not a huge classical music fan.
See my post about last year’s event here, including some video of the event.
More information about the Sooke Philharmonic Orchestra can be found on their website (which doesn’t appear to have been updated in some time).
Parking can be a bit of an issue, so try and walk or carpool. A reminder that you can walk from downtown Sooke to Ed Macgregor Park along the Sooke Marine Boardwalk, which has an easy ramp from the water up to the park, so you may choose to park at the opposite end and walk there (about 10-15 minutes walk). My office (Royal LePage Coast Capital Realty) will also offer up our parking lot for concertgoers.
Here is a map showing the concert, parking, and boardwalk:
–Tim Ayres – Sooke Real Estate Professional
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