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City of Campbell River announces lineup for third annual CR Live Streets series

Wednesday nights this summer will once again see downtown host numerous events for all ages
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A young artist puts the finishing touched on her chalk drawing at a previous CR Live Streets Chalkfest event in downtown Campbell River. This year’s Chalkfest is the second event in the series, taking place Aug. 1. Mirror File Photo

The City of Campbell River is preparing to again launch its ever-popular CR Live Streets events, with a few new additions to add to its Wednesday night summer lineup.

The initiative is going into its third season. It began in 2016 with three events on consecutive Wednesdays in August of that year: a movie night, Chalkfest and an evening market.

The following year, organizers added an outdoor, licensed concert to the front end of the lineup at the end of July in the Tidemark Courtyard.

And this year they’ve expanded their offerings again.

Linda Nagle, program coordinator with the city, says this year’s series is sure to improve on what they already consider a great success.

“We’re really excited,” Nagle says. “It’s a great way for different facets of the community to all come together and have some fun.”

The series will open with an Art Battle event July 18.

“I went to the one that was held down in Willow Point, and I thought, ‘what a great thing. We should see if we can add something like this,’ and thanks to being able to partner up with Art Battle International, we can!” Nagle says excitedly.

The week after Art Battle will feature the evening street market, where food trucks, music and vendors will take over the streets on July 25. The following week will be the always-popular Chalkfest, which is back for its third time on Aug. 1.

But although it’s on its third run, it has changed a bit, as well. There will still be the opportunity for anyone – of any age – to have some fun with chalk on the streets, but there will also be a professional competition and a “Community Group Competition,” Nagle says, “where groups can win $500 to go to the charity or organization of their choice.”

The Show on the Row event will take place on Aug. 8 this year, where a movie screen will be once again set up on Shoppers Row for a family movie night, but there will also be bouncy rooms, clowns and games for the kids, as well, before the movie starts at 9 p.m.

The series wraps up with Music in the Night, an evening of music and food in the Tidemark Theatre Courtyard.

But what Nagle is most excited about is that three of this year’s events are going to be licensed. Last year’s concert in the Tidemark Courtyard was licensed, but it was fenced in and people got frustrated because it filled to capacity so quickly.

“We were overwhelmed with the response to that one, so we’re doubling the capacity at that one this year, because people were mad they couldn’t get in,” Nagle says, “but this year, we are also having two ‘open site’ licensed events. That’s never been done before in Campbell River and I’m excited that we’re able to offer that.”

“Open site” means that there will be a much larger liquor service area and it will be accessible to all ages, but only those who are issued bracelets after showing identification can purchase alcohol.

“It’s just a much better environment than when you pen people up who want to enjoy a few drinks,” Nagle says. “People don’t tend to behave like jerks when there are kids and families right next to them. Acting like an idiot and slamming back beer just isn’t acceptable and it creates a much nicer atmosphere.”

For more information on this year’s CR Live Streets series, including what time on Wednesdays everything runs, head to campbellriver.ca/crlivestreets or contact Nagle by email at linda.nagle@campbellriver.ca