Moose Jaw’s band and choral festival has been an ongoing tradition for 72 years. Despite successfully navigating the COVID-19 pandemic and returning to normal programming in 2023, this year’s festival is facing an entirely new problem that will see attendance limited to students from outside of the province.
The pandemic saw the first-ever cessation of the festival between 2020 – 2022, and in 2023 the festival returned with 100 attending groups. This year’s high-water mark was 107 groups with 104 confirmed following the winter months — a trend that showed promise.
There’s a new obstacle, however: the ongoing job dispute between the provincial government and the Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation (STF).
“Two weeks ago, we hit the pause button on the Saskatchewan groups — we just didn’t know (if they would be able to attend),” said Janie Fries, chair of the band and choral festival.
The vote between the STF and the provincial government is set for May 8 - 9, but with the festival starting on May 13, Fries said there simply isn’t enough time to switch between a partial or full-fledged festival.
“It’s unfortunate that we have to do that,” she added. With only a few days of certainty following the vote, “it’s too late for us then to re-book everything.”
Fries also confirmed that around a dozen Saskatchewan-based groups have already cancelled with school administrators declaring their ability to attend is “all up in the air.”
To adjust for this, the festival is now limited to out-of-province students and the final tally is currently sitting at 43 confirmed groups.
“We’ve worked really hard to keep it downtown, and we’ve been lucky — we’ve had the churches step up with the venues… (and) everyone wants to perform (in) it,” she said in reflection of the work done so far by the festival’s organizers.
The festival provides more than just an opportunity for students to showcase their achievements and refine their art. Fries said it’s the city itself that keeps people coming back.
“It’s just a whole package,” she said. “(Participating students) love the tunnels. They love the fact that we keep our venues downtown… (and that) they can park the bus, and everybody walks everywhere… and they feel safe with their students.
“I’ve run into so many adults who have such good memories of being here at the festival when they were younger,” she recalled.
Hosting a fully-fledged festival as per tradition requires more participants, but with only 43 now confirmed, Fries said there will have to be cutbacks if it’s to go ahead at all.
To achieve this, the number of clinicians will be scaled back and venues will be simplified to Peacock’s auditorium, the Mae Wilson Theatre, and the Crescent Park Amphitheatre.
“Hopefully this won’t sour the taste in people’s mouths with wanting to come to the festival in the years to come,” Fries announced morosely.
Despite these setbacks, several public concert performances will still proceed as planned.
On Monday, May 13 starting at 7 p.m. at Peacock Collegiate’s auditorium, the Prairie Winds Adult Community Band will perform, and tickets will go for $20 apiece at the door.
On Tuesday, May 14, Regina-based group “The Nightingales” will perform two shows with one starting at 6:30 p.m. and the second at 8 p.m. The all-female quartet typically performs during Remembrance Day events and their selection will feature songs from the World War era.
On Wednesday, May 15 at 6:30 and then 8:30 p.m., the Regina Jazz Orchestra will perform two shows at the Mae Wilson Theatre located at 217 Main Street North.
All tickets cost $20 apiece and can be purchased through the Cultural Centre’s box office or online at MooseJawCulture.ca.
Finally, “Moosic in the Park” will go ahead and the free outdoor performances will be held over lunch on Tuesday, May 14 and Wednesday, May 15 from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Participating groups will play for around 30 – 45 minutes each and everyone’s invited to bring a lunch and make the most of this year’s festival.
