[BCMA] NEWS RELEASE: Joint Event Okanagan Rail Trail Plein Air and GoByBike Week Happening June 9, 2024

[Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv]

Hello,
Please accept the following news release regarding the Arts Council of the North Okanagan and City of Vernon's Okanagan Rail Trail Plein Air Event and wrap-up celebration for GoByBike Week.

The community-wide event takes place along the Okanagan Rail Trail and at Polson Park in Vernon, BC on June 9, 2024.

Photos and a poster are available here:  https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/10Aaaefx4pP8d_W3M4koSdhoefcEcWkq2?usp=sharing

Please feel free to contact us if you require more information or have an interview request.

We appreciate your consideration.

Sincerely,

Kristin Froneman
Marketing Administrator
Arts Council of the North Okanagan (ACNO)
marketing at acno.ca<http://mail%20to:%20marketing@acno.ca>
[cid:ff983196-ac6b-4d48-b8d8-9ba39ae782e4]
The Arts Council of the North Okanagan (ACNO) recognizes that it is situated on the traditional, unceded territory of the Syilx and Secwépemc peoples. We are grateful to have the opportunity to create, collaborate, play and work on these lands.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 27, 2024
ACNO and City of Vernon Host Joint Celebration of Art and Cycling
The Arts Council of the North Okanagan (ACNO) teams up with the City of Vernon to celebrate art and nature, with the Rail Trail Plein Art Event and GoByBike Week at the Okanagan Rail Trail and Polson Park on June 9, 2024.

VERNON, BC—Cyclists, artists, art enthusiasts and nature lovers will soon be able to experience art and biking all on one day when the Okanagan Rail Trail Plein Art Event and GoByBike Week team up for a grand celebration on June 9.

Hosted by the Arts Council of the North Okanagan (ACNO) and the City of Vernon, the event starts with the Rail Trail Plein Air Event on the Okanagan Rail Trail from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and culminates with the end of GoByBike Week celebration at Polson Park from 3 to 5 p.m.

"We are thrilled to invite artists and community members alike to join us for the Rail Trail Plein Air Event. This event not only showcases the incredible talent of local artists but also celebrates the breathtaking beauty of our region's natural landscapes," said Shawna Patenaude, ACNO Executive Director. "Through this collaboration with the City of Vernon, we hope to inspire creativity, foster community connections, and create lasting memories for all who participate."

Taking place along the Okanagan Rail Trail from the 0 KM entrance off College Way in Coldstream to Kekuli Bay to Oyama in Lake Country, the event invites spectators to witness the creative process as local artists paint "en plein air" (French for "in open air") to capture the landscape in real-time. Those with mobility issues are suggested to use the Kekuli Bay Provincial Park location in the parking lot just above the trail.

All participants and the community will then gather at Vernon's Polson Park to celebrate the final day of GoByBike Week with live music, snacks, beverages, and displays. Bring a chair to enjoy the show.

Participating artists will bring their works to the post-painting party, where first, second, and third-place awards will be given out in the Professional, Emerging, and Young Artist categories. People will also be able to vote for their favourite piece in an online People's Choice poll with the award for best work announced on June 21. OPUS Art Supplies will provide gift cards for first-place winners.

A community collaboration, the event is being hosted by the Arts Council of the North Okanagan, City of Vernon Active Transportation Department, OPUS Art Supplies, and Friends of the Okanagan Rail Trail (FORT), whose ambassadors will be on the trail in bright green high-visibility vests to answer any questions during the event.

"We are also thankful to Tourism Vernon, the City of Vernon, and the Regional District of the North Okanagan for funding this amazing event, which unites art enthusiasts, cyclists, nature lovers, and community while celebrating the Okanagan's natural beauty," said Patenaude.

For more information and to register as an artist for the Rail Trail Plein Air event, please visit https://acno.ca/event/rail-trail-plein-air-event-3.

For information and to register as a cyclist for GoByBike Week, visit
 https://gobybikebc.ca/event-info/.

-30-

Media contacts:
Shawna Patenaude, ACNO Executive Director,  ed at acno.ca<mailto:ed at acno.ca>
Kristin Froneman, ACNO Marketing Administrator, marketing at acno.ca<mailto:marketing at acno.ca>

Link to Images/Poster: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/10Aaaefx4pP8d_W3M4koSdhoefcEcWkq2?usp=sharing

Caption: Artists paint the landscape in real time during the 2023 Okanagan Rail Trail Plein Art Event. The annual event takes place in 2024 on June 9 and culminates at Polson Park with the end of GoByBike week celebration.

About the ACNO:
The Arts Council of the North Okanagan (ACNO) is a registered charitable non-profit organization committed to enhancing arts and culture in Greater Vernon and surrounding areas. Serving as an umbrella organization, ACNO supports over 30 diverse member groups and more than 3,000 individual and family members. Through various events and initiatives, ACNO provides platforms for artists to showcase and sell their work, delivers arts education via the Vernon Community Arts Centre, and advocates for community arts-based endeavours. Visit acno.ca for more information.

About Okanagan Rail Trail Plain Art Event:
Starting at 0 KM of the beautiful Okanagan Rail Trail in Vernon and extending into Lake Country, artists will paint for the day along the Okanagan Rail Trail on June 9, 2024. The event is free to participants of all ages and abilities as well as to spectators. Prizes will be awarded in four groups: Experienced Artists, Emerging Artists, Youth Artists, and People’s Choice. Artists are encouraged to bring their own art supplies and materials and get ready for a day of plein air fun. At the end of the day, artists and spectators will gather at Polson Park for live music, art jurying, prizes, and some light refreshments.

About GobyBike BC Week:
The Spring 2024 GoByBike week encourages all British Columbians to ride their bike as much as possible from June 3 to 9. Whether it’s riding to work, to school, for fun, for exercise, or to relieve stress, riders can then log their total kilometres online at www.GoByBikeBC.ca<https://www.gobybikebc.ca/> to be entered into a prize. Those getting around on smaller wheels such as scooters and rollerblades or taking the bus/carpooling part of the way to their cycling destination can also participate: #AnyRideCounts.
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