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Hundreds of square dancers to do-si-do to Shuswap

Salmon Arm to host the BC Square & Round Dance Festival in July, with up to 1,000 dancers expected.
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Hundreds of square dancers will be heading to Salmon Arm in July for their biennial BC Square & Round Dance Festival. (File photo)

Come July, square dancers galore are expected to do-si-do their way to Salmon Arm.

Salmon Arm will be hosting the BC Square & Round Dance Festival on July 10 to 14, with 800 dancers or more expected.

According to a letter written to city council from co-chair of BC Festival 2019, Jean Wood, the entire Shaw Centre, the curling centre, the recreation centre auditorium and rooms at Okanagan College have been booked.

“The last festival held in Salmon Arm was in 1999 and we are looking forward to having dancers join us for a 20-year anniversary.”

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Five dance styles will be included in the festival: square, round, clog, contra and line dancing. A Trail In Dance will take place at the Shaw Centre on Wednesday, July 10 and a Trail Out Dance will be held on Sunday, July 14.

Wood writes that over the last few years, organizers have seen festivals limited to 800 dancers or less, but as Salmon Arm has the necessary facilities, they have decided not to cap the festival.

Also new this year, community participation will be encouraged. Public dances and complimentary workshops will be offered.

“We hope that we will see residents of Salmon Arm and the surrounding area take advantage of this.”


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Martha Wickett

About the Author: Martha Wickett

came to Salmon Arm in May of 2004 to work at the Observer. I was looking for a change from the hustle and bustle of the Lower Mainland, where I had spent more than a decade working in community newspapers.
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