A young boy gets a balloon creation made at a past Hoodstock. The event offers activities for the whole family to go along with a great musical lineup.

A young boy gets a balloon creation made at a past Hoodstock. The event offers activities for the whole family to go along with a great musical lineup.

Hoodstock heralded as a family event

Hoodstock organizers are really aiming for a festival that caters to the whole family this year.

Hoodstock will make a triumphant return this year at Coy’s Par 3 Golf Course in Fairmont Hot Springs, and what organizers are really aiming for this year is a festival that caters to the whole family.

“We really, really want to stress that this is not just a music concert where adults go,” said Rory Sinclair, member of the Fairmont Business Association (FBA). “It’s really a big family event, is what we’re trying to bill it as, and really try to make people understand that adults and kids can have a super day all around.”

To further that aim, the festival offers a wide range of kids activities outside of the great musical acts that are lined up. Featuring laser tag, a maze, bouncy castles, face painting, magicians, a dunk tank and more, the festival promises to have a little something for everyone.

“We always felt like we had a really great event, we just wanted to try and expand on some of the areas on our wish list.”

On the musical side, the festival has eight different acts lined up to play from 2 to about 11 p.m. The talents of local acts such as Thinking Man and Emily Molloy will compliment out-of-town groups like The Johnny McCuaig Band and Oak Republic. Sinclair said that while the festival doesn’t have one huge headline act this year, he feels the overall composition of the artists involved is one of the strongest they’ve ever had in terms of pure talent.

“Everybody please come out and enjoy what we hope to be a long and successful festival for years to come,” Sinclair said.

Advance tickets are available online at www.hoodstock.info, at Smoking Waters Coffee Company in Fairmont, at Hoodoo’s Bar and Grill in Fairmont, and at Copper City Liquor Store in Invermere. Tickets are $25 in advance, $30 at the door, kids ages 12 to 18 are $15, ages 6 to 11 $5 and kids under five are free.