Country music takes centre stage in Kelowna

News Release

Dust off your boots and get ready for the biggest week in Canadian country music! The Canadian Country Music Association Awards (CCMA Awards) and Country Music Week are coming to Kelowna, and the city is buckling down to be the hub for all things country. From September 10 until the 13th, enjoy artist activations, family-friendly events, outdoor concerts and much more.

“Kelowna is ready to welcome the nation’s biggest country stars for the Canadian Country Music Association Awards,” said Mayor Tom Dyas. “As a world-class event-hosting city, we are proud to showcase our community on the national stage. After a multi-year process to bring the CCMA Awards here, Kelowna is set to come alive with concerts and celebrations across the city, delivering a welcome boost to our local economy during the shoulder season.”

As part of this exciting event, the CCMA Awards and the City of Kelowna invited local artists to pitch immersive art installations that will be displayed during Country Music Week. From a life-sized sketchbook that shows a day in the life of a country music artist visiting Kelowna, to Lime scooters being donned with horseheads, these pieces offer a boot-scootin’ twist sure to stirrup excitement across the city.

“City staff have been working hard behind the scenes on logistics like transportation and parking, decorating the city with banners and art, as well as business engagement to ensure they can provide a great visitor experience,” says Chris Babcock, Event Development Manager. “It was also important for us to develop activations around Kelowna that provide an opportunity for the broader community to get involved.” 

For many visitors to Kelowna, their CCMA Awards experience begins and ends at Kelowna International Airport. During Country Music Week, experience live music, airport art installations, and capture the moment at the "Barn and Barrel" selfie station, sponsored by Road 13 Vineyards.

With everything going on around Kelowna in celebration of this big week, there will be impacts to parking and traffic.

• Limited parking in the Dolphins Parking Lot (1200 Water St) from Sept 8-15.
• Waterfront Park and promenade closure from Sept 8 to Sept 14 with ticket holder access only from Thursday September 11 to Saturday September 13.
• Water Street (Sunset Drive to Cawston Avenue) will be closed from September 12 at 6 a.m.  until September 14 at 6:00 a.m.
• Boat locks will be closed to accommodate the large crowds in the park for the event from September 11 at 6:00 a.m. and re-open on September 14 by 8:00 a.m.

To learn more about other events happening around the city, as well as learn a bit about how the City was able to bring the CCMA Awards to Kelowna, visit www.kelowna.ca/majorevents