March is nearly here, and there is no shortage of reasons to leave the house and #exploreKelowna! There are some notable dates on the calendar for March, such as International Women’s Day (March 8), St. Patrick’s Day (March 17), and the spring equinox (March 19). If you’re looking for things to do in March, here are some eye-catching art and culture events that are on the horizon.
Wonder(ful) Women of the Okanagan | Kelowna Museums Society
Where: Okanagan Heritage Museum (470 Queensway Ave.)
When: Friday, March 8 and Saturday, March 9, 2024. Starts at 5:30 p.m. on March 8 and 11 a.m. on March 9.
Admission: By donation
Celebrate International Women’s Day by enjoying stories of driven, daring and dynamic women who called the Okanagan their home.
Join the Kelowna Museums Society at their Okanagan Heritage Museum location for a special interactive tour highlighting everyday heroes and some of the most celebrated characters in the history of our region.
I attended a version of this event a few years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it! It’s a great way to learn about some inspirational women who have called the Okanagan home.
Wreckonciliation | Opera Kelowna
Where: Rotary Centre for the Arts (421 Cawston Ave.)
When: Thursday, March 14 and Saturday, March 16, 2024. Starts at 7:30 p.m. on both evenings.
Admission: $39 to $59
In December 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada released its report on the tragic history of Canada’s Indian Residential Schools.
Co-created by Indigenous artists Marion Newman, Melody Courage and Yvette Nolan, Wreckonciliation is a groundbreaking musical response to the last decade of learning, striving, and failing to reckon with Canada’s colonial past.
It’s not your typical opera show, as it’s a Jimmy Fallon-style talk show and concert all rolled into one. The performance will see a blending of music from Indigenous and European operatic traditions.
Co-hosts Marion Newman and Melody Courage will take centre stage on the first episode of their cheeky new talk show, “Wreckonciliation.” With a variety of guests, they will tackle issues with wit and compassion while exploring what ‘reconciliation’ has come to mean. Finding the balance between deeply serious and fully comical, they will burst into song whenever words are not enough.
All are welcome for this evening of joy, meaningful work, music and building a better future together.
Murder on the Orient Express | Okanagan College
Where: Okanagan College — Kelowna Campus (1000 KLO Rd.)
When: Thursday, March 14 to Sunday, March 24, 2024. Various times.
Admission: $23 to $28
Long live community theatre! The Red Dot Players at Kelowna’s Okanagan College are excited to present a clever adaptation of Agatha Christie’s classic Murder on the Orient Express by Ken Ludwig.
While travelling from Istanbul to Paris, the luxurious Orient Express is stranded by a snowstorm in the Yugoslavian mountains. When one of the train’s passengers is murdered, it is up to the eccentric Belgian detective Hercule Poirot to solve the case.
Ludwig’s stage adaptation features all the glamour, intrigue and suspense you would expect, as well as a large helping of humour.
Formed in 2010, the Red Dot Players comprise OC students, employees, and community members. Since their inception, the troupe has produced more than 15 plays for local audiences. Murder on the Orient Express is their latest.
In 2018, I was fortunate to catch their presentation of Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere. It was a relaxed and enjoyable evening with friends as the actors took us on an entertaining journey. I’m sure Murder on the Orient Express will charm attendees, too. Don’t miss the train!
RCA Presents: The McDades
Where: Rotary Centre for the Arts (421 Cawston Ave.)
When: Thursday, March 21, 2024. 7:30 p.m.
Admission: $39
What better way to mark the month of St. Patrick’s Day than with some Celtic music? JUNO award winners The McDades are bringing their fresh take on traditional Celtic tunes to Kelowna this March. In the words of the London Free Press, the group offers sound and fiery performances “somewhere between a down-home kitchen party, a jazzy after-hours club, and a folk festival.”
Siblings Shannon, Solon, and Jeremiah form the group's core, combining original tunes with their own unique interpretations of traditional favourites. The Edmontonians have graced many a stage over the years, performing at the Commonwealth Games, the Canadian National Exhibition and even for the British Royal Family.
Expect harmonies, energetic instrumentals and moving vocals in both English and French as you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with The McDades’ one-of-a-kind sound!
AltiTunes Music Fest
Where: Big White Ski Resort (5315 Big White Rd.)
When: Friday, April 5 and Saturday, April 6, 2024. Starts at 3 p.m. on April 5.
Admission: $113.80 to $831.14
Okay, so AltiTunes isn’t technically in March; it’s in early April, but you probably want to buy your tickets sooner rather than later! A look at the ticketing options shows that some have already sold out, and it’s easy to understand why.
The biggest après ski music festival in Canada promises two incredible opportunities to dance the night away while world-renowned artists do their thing at Kelowna’s beautiful Big White Ski Resort.
This outdoor festival offers the chance to make epic memories in an exceptional setting. Friday’s lineup features Elderbrook, Vandelux, Evan Giia, JGirl and UrGirlMeems. Saturday’s lineup features Milky Chance, X Ambassadors, Jessia, Vin Bogart, Featurette, Wes Please and DJ Invizible.
To see even more Kelowna events, visit the Tourism Kelowna events calendar here. See you out and about!
Cover Image: AltiTunes Music Festival. Photo: Matt Ferguson Photography
