Youth Fest not only features great entertainment for Pitt Meadows Day, but it gives local youth the opportunity to get involved in their community.
Adam Rieu, youth services programmer with Maple Ridge Pitt Meadows Parks and Leisure services, works on all the behind-the-scenes activity, starting in February, organizing equipment and making sure the event is safe.
But, a youth planning committee is in charge of recruiting and auditioning the bands, sometimes through Myspace or Youtube.
“They kind of are at the pulse of what is going on,” said Rieu.
“It is really great for our planning committee because they get experience planning large events. A lot of them are really interested in either the music scene or in special events, so they kind of get the best of both worlds,” said Rieu.
In addition, a barbeque fundraiser will be run by the Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows youth councils. This group of 12- to 18-year-olds meet once a week for an hour during the school year to talk about different opportunities to get involved in their communities. Then they fundraise to support different initiatives, such as sending a child to camp, or helping the food bank, or putting money back into the community.
Hotdogs, chips and pop will be available at the fundraiser, with all proceeds going to the youth councils for future projects.
Youth mentors will also have some skateboarding equipment set up on the north side of the recreation centre, outside the youth centre doors.
ICBC will have a crash car on site and an ice cream vendor will be serving treats.
Youth Fest will be held from 1-7 p.m. on Saturday in Spirit Square, outside the Pitt Meadows Family Recreation Centre.
Returning to Youth Fest will be Graham and Carly, a local brother and sister group that plays progressive rock. They recently took part in the Youth Week Talent Show.
Maple Ridge Secondary School will be well represented with metal band Blessed With The Curse.
Damn The Eyes, another Maple Ridge metal band with members from the east coast and Quebec, will also be playing.
Maple Ridge singer/songwriter Rory MacRury, who has several metal projects on the go, will be performing acoustically at this years Youth Fest.
Abbotsford punk band Classic Merna will be playing.
The Jen Huangs, a local band that plays everything from punk to swing.
“It’s a broad spectrum of styles and music that we try to incorporate, so that it caters to everybody,” said Rieu.