WHAT: Spring Music Festival
WHERE: Crab Shack
WHEN: May 21-27
If you don’t fit the age criteria for the Whistler Children’s Art Festival, there’s another event in town geared towards the older and more party-hardy. The fifth annual Spring Music Festival kicks off May 21 at the Crab Shack, and as usual the week-long event is designed to help let off a little local steam.
"When we first started, we had a lot of requests from locals to do something just in terms of the pricing," says Shack owner Joe Kovacs. "So we decided to take it a step further and incorporate a really great price structure around great music."
This year’s headliners are the always popular Vancouver funksters, Jazzberry Ram.
Tuesday night has become the highlight of the week with the caesa-making contest. It’s a great way to get some of the hardest working resort employees out of their black and whites and into a fun environment.
"People do some really wacky stuff to see who can come up with the best caesar. And of course it’s $500 for first place. I think everyone can use that money at this time of the year. I know I could!" quips Kovacs.
Wednesday features a new theme: Trailer Trash. The finest filth in Whistler will have a chance to compete in the Redneck Games, the content of which apparently isn’t appropriate for print. And there’s $200 up for grabs for the best costume.
WAG is the beneficiary of this year’s festival fun, and Thursday is the night to mark on your calendar if you’re an animal lover. The Shack is putting on a gourmet four-course meal for just $20 a plate, with 100 per cent of the proceeds going to help our four-legged friends. Tickets are bound to go fast and should be purchased in advance from WAG.
It’ll be a rollicking Friday night at the Shack as Maritime Madness takes over. Great music, great food, great prices for easterners, easterners who have become westerners and everyone in between.
Saturday and Sunday promise an oxymoron of musical talents with live jazz and Wil Mimnaugh. Okay, they’re not playing together, but they do make for an interesting weekend. Enjoy live jazz on Saturday as you make your own martini. And Calgary’s acoustic madman and Whistler favourite, Mimnaugh, is gonna shake the Shack on the closing night of the festival.
For more details, call or drop in to The Crab Shack and hassle the staff. They’re excited about the event.
"It’s such an industry party, everyone treats and tips the staff well," laughs Kovacs. A little money, a lot of fun… just what we need in the shoulder season.
