Starbelly Jam celebrates 15th birthday this weekend
By Nelson Daily Staff
The Jam, that’s the Starbelly Jam to the locals, is getting bigger and better every year.
Friday kicks off the 15th annual outdoor music festival held in Crawford Bay, which runs through the weekend before concluding Sunday.
The celebration includes entertainment is soulfully eclectic, and this year will include funk, world music, rock, hip-hop, reggae, blues, bluegrass, folk, jam bands and other acts that are a little harder to define.
There is also entertainment and activities for children (who get in free if they are under age 13 and with an adult). — so the Starbelly Jam is a real family festival.
The festival got its start some 15 years ago when some culturally creative citizenry were hanging out at Starbelly Beach, twiddling their toes in the water and basking in the sun, wondering what they could do to liven things up around here and celebrate how wonderful it all was.
It must have been an idea whose time had come, because one thing led to another and before anyone realized what was happening, Starbelly Jam Music Festival was born.
Now, not only is there great entertainment, but there’s on-site food, a craft faire, free workshops, roaming jugglers and clowns, and more.
This year the lineup includes the Tequila Mockingbird Orchestra, Trypta, Latyrx, Nahko and the Medicine People, Los Rastrillos, Mrs. Strange and BC/DC playing the Starbelly stages Friday.
Starbelly Jam attracts more than 3500 people, which includes 700 kids, 350 volunteers and organizers and 150 performers/presenters.
For more information see the Visitor Information page.
