Art & Nature Fest

The Salt Spring Island Conservancy hosts its second annual Art & Nature Fest at the beautiful Blackburn Lake Nature Reserve — an afternoon of performance, play, and picnics — from 3 to 7 p.m.

Festival goers can listen and dance to musical performances by Wesley Hardisty and Andy Meyers, the Ruwadzano Marimba band, Women of Note, and during the community picnic, Lewis Davies. Lorraine Lowry will open and close the fest with her masterful bagpipe playing.

Festival goers can take workshops: yoga with Jayne Lloyd-Jones, drawing with Lisa Lipsett, writing with author Claire Sicherman, dancing with Tomoko Yamazaki, or creating cordage with Salt Spring Island’s Basketry Guild.

Patrons can take guided walks with Linda Gilkeson, John Borst, and Chris Drake to learn about bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects, the Cusheon Lake watershed, and wetlands restoration. Adults and kids can play with clay to make tree spirits and origami to create seed packets and can enjoy a scavenger hunt. Other interactive activities include a labyrinth and an eco art mosaic.

Bring a picnic for the community picnic. A limited menu for purchase will be provided by Vital Kitchen. The festival will provide water, but bring a water bottle. The festival will also be a zero-waste event.