The colourfully painted downtown piano has turned out to be a hot ticket item.
BIA chair Erika Anderson said the downtown piano is even more popular than she would have predicted.
The piano has been moved around to sit in front of different businesses each fair-weather day since it was painted during Art Appreciation Day on Aug. 6. And Anderson said it was booked up for the month of August within a few days of its debut.
Besides businesses booking it, Anderson said it has been getting lots of play from musicians.
“People have been playing it a lot,” said Anderson. “People have been making special trips downtown for the purpose of playing the piano.”
The main point of the downtown piano was to liven up the downtown area and attract people to the businesses there, and Anderson said it’s working.
“It’s been great publicity for downtown, and people wanting to come see it, people looking for it, so it’s been good to bring people downtown,” she explained.
John Parker, a piano player from Black Diamond, A.B., was surprised when he noticed the piano during his visit to Campbell River, as he has never seen one anywhere else.
“It’s totally cool,” said Parker. “It was shocking, and then it said ‘play me’ so I didn’t have to go and ask.”
Parker played some boogie-woogie this past Wed. when the piano was located outside Quench Bistro & Juice Bar. He says he will be letting his fellow musicians know there is a downtown piano in Campbell River via Facebook.
“I’m going to tell all my friends that it’s there in Campbell River,” said Parker. “You’re going to inspire other communities.”
The piano will still be in use throughout Sept. before being stored away for the wet months, and Anderson said there is still some opportunities for businesses to book it. And the piano will be back next summer, with the possibility of a second one because of the popularity of the first.
“There’s so much appetite for this,” said Anderson. “This is interactive as well so that adds another element, but I think part of it is people are just so excited about some different piece of public art.”