The Okotoks and Black Diamond Alberta Summer Games take place from July 20-23, 2023. Between now and then are several supporting events, including the Travelling Mabels and Over The Moon Fundraising concert taking place on April 1st.
Over The Moon’s Suzanne Levesque and Craig Bignell use their acoustic roots to enchant audiences with beautiful music.
Levesque and Bignell say, “We are very excited about this concert as we’ll be joined by our two very talented bandmates, Bruce Hoffman and Aaron Young. As they played on our recordings, it is such a pleasure for us to have them with us live, and I’m sure the audience will love them as well! We are always excited to perform a show alongside Suzanne’s mother’s band “The Travelling Mabels, as these events become like a family reunion for us. They are family and good friends!”
The band was pleased to be nominated for a JUNO in 2022 (best traditional album) and nominated for a Canadian Folk Award in 2023 (ensemble of the year).
“With our latest JUNO Award nominated album “Chinook Waltz,” we tried to give folks a glimpse as to what life is like living in the foothills of southwestern Alberta’s Rocky Mountains. We’ll do a bunch of songs off that album along and tell some funny stories as well. We think this will give visitors of the Games a little glimpse of life here, while having fun at the same time,” they note.
They add, “I have to say that we didn’t know much about the Alberta Summer Games when we were first contacted to perform but after doing some research on them, it was wonderful to see what these Games do for so many young people, and how many go on to compete internationally as they progress through their careers. We’re very happy to be part of it in any way we can!”
The Travelling Mabels is an award winning folk band from Calgary. Keith Floen is one of the founding members.
“We are excited to be bringing our show back to Okotoks, AB,” smiles Floen. “We absolutely love playing music for people. There’s nothing like that one-on-one connection you get when interacting with an audience. The language of music can be universal and often the songs we sing and the stories we tell are not only ours, but our listeners as well; and in that, we hope to find some common ground to bring us all a little closer together.”
What can guests expect at the concert from the Travelling Mabels? Floen says, “Our show is like a kitchen party, or variety show, with each band member taking their turn in the spotlight. It’s a great ride with a lot of toe tapping, laughter, music and vocal harmony.”
He concludes, “The Alberta Summer Games are a celebration of competitive excellence. As artists, we are constantly working at what we do to be the best we can and to continue to grow. A little healthy competition can push you to reach further than you ever thought possible. The Games are a great opportunity for young athletes to be acknowledged for doing exactly that.”
Kelly Miedema, who is helping to organize the event, shares the excitement.
“Both bands are from the Foothills/Southern Alberta area, so it is nice to be able to showcase local talent,” she says. “They also have a presence in the Foothills community. When putting up posters around town, many people commented on how they knew the bands personally and had endearing personal stories to tell about the members. These bands appeal to all audiences within our community and help to bring generations together, similar to the way the Summer Games are helping to bring athletes from all across Alberta together.”
She continues, talking about the importance of the Games, saying, “The Games presents a chance for our community to reunite and celebrate after some tough years due to COVID. Bringing in large events like the Alberta Summer Games gives small, rural communities the chance to showcase their towns to people from across the province. We want these games to re-engage our communities, offer them an opportunity to help celebrate accomplishments and achievements along with these athletes, and to provide some much-needed financial assistance. Supporting these events, either financially or through volunteerism, helps support everything that goes into making the event run smoothly, ensuring a memorable experience for visitors.”
Stay tuned for more opportunities to support the Alberta Summer Games. Start by getting your ticket now for the upcoming concert, and stay tuned to the Alberta Summer Game’s event page to see what is coming up next.
