There are a couple big events in Southern Alberta this week.
Whoop Up Days opens today, Thursday, Aug. 23 with the Whoop Up Days parade followed by the Mayor’s barbecue at City hall featuring live music from local country favourite Trevor Panczak playing from 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
There is a powwow and pageant, Aug. 24 and 25. The professional rodeo is Aug. 25-27 at Whoop Up Days this year at 7 p.m. each night at the Rocky Mountain Turf Club. However, there isn’t a lot of live music at Whoop up days this year.
However, there are a couple of local performers playing throughout the week.
Riley McKinnon plays the stage at 1 p.m. , Aug. 23. Wednesday is Family Day, so admission is $8.99. Otherwise, admission is $15.99 for every other day.
Stan Ashbee performes a few times. He is on Wednesday, Aug. 24. at 6 p.m., 7 p.m., Aug, 26. And 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 27.
Dan Berdusco performs at 8 p.m., Aug. 25.
Stan Ashbee performs at 7 p.m., Friday, Aug. 26 followed by the New Testaments at 8 p.m.
Most of Lethbridge’s music scene is performing down the road for Taber Cornfest.
Taber Cornfest is a long standing free festival featuring rides , games, corn eating contests and lots more.
It opens Thursday Aug. 25 at 6 p.m.. Dance Images perform at 6:30 p.m., The Mark Hall band play at 8 p.m. and The Bridgette Yarwood band close off the first night at 10 p.m.
Cornfest continues Friday, Aug. 26.
Richard Betts opens the stage at 2:15 followed by Tanner James, Rooks, Breanne Urban and Detour at 7 p.m. followed by another Simple Solution and Lawless Murphy at 10:10 p.m.
Filipino talent opens Cornfest on Saturday, Aug. 27 at 11 a.m. followed by corn tasting at 1 p.m., a corn eating contest at 1:30 p.m., Ransom Note at 2:15 followed by Suzanne Scott and the Dusty Roads, Hippodrome at 4:45 p.m., Suite 33 at 6:30 p.m., the Plaid Ramblers at 8:15 and the Chevelles winding up the party at 10:15 p.m.
The Lethbridge Electronic Music Festival celebrates their tenth anniversary by taking over Galt Gardens with a heap of DJS spinning beginning at 11 a.m.
There is an afterparty at Club Lime .
Several summer concert series wind up this week. Local country band Badlands close Upside Downtown outside Casa, Thursday from 5-7 p.m.
And The Allied Arts Council’s Arts in the parks festivals winds down on Saturday with Stompin’ in the park— an afternoon festival in Legacy park focusing on country music. Kids in the Parks officially finishes Arts in the parks in Legacy Park, Sept. 10.
Even Wednesday is busy. Teri Petz returns to the Old Acoustic lounge to host the end of month Poetry open mic.
Luke James Bruce has a busy week. He hosts Mojos Pub’s Monday open mic, hosts The Slice’s open mic on Wednesday and plays with his band the Plaid Ramblers on Saturday at Tabor Corn Fest.
But there is a lot more happening, especially on Thursday.
Jolene Draper and the Inquisitive Few return to the Slice, Thursday, Aug. 25. Jolene Draper opens with a solo set at 8:15 followed by a full band set at 10 p.m. Admission is by donation.
Daylan Delaney returns to Telegraph Taphouse to play your ’90s favourites on the Festival Square stage at 6 p.m.
Theoretically Brewing has live music on Aug 25 as well with local surf band The Atomicos with London, Ontario musician Katherine Fischer and Wendy Colby performing beginning at 7 p.m. Admission is a suggested donation of $15.
Steel Cut rocks the Casino Lethbridge stage Friday and Saturday.
Calgary country band the Keith Rodgers band play the Owl Acoustic Lounge, Aug. 26. He plays with some well known names like Boots and the Hoots, The Tequila Mockingbird Orchestra and the Red Hot Hayseeds and a lot more. Admission is by donation.
The Owl Acoustic Lounge welcomes Lake Erie indie rock band Supernatural Buffalo to their stage, Saturday, Aug. 27.
The Slice has a big night of rock and metal with Edmonton rock bands Rising Sun and Hollow Point and Medicine Hat’s Crimson Caliber hitting the stage, Aug. 26. Admission is $15.
The Slice welcomes home Jon Martin and his band plus local bluesman Eric Braun, Saturday, Aug. 27.
If you missed Conner Christmas and Faris Hytiaa at the owl Acoustic Lounge last week, they are at Good Times this week, but first, Pro Amateur night returns to Good Times on Thursday with hosts Megan Windle , Brian Dawdniuk and Nicholas Maximilliano. The laughs begins at 7 p.m. Admission is five dollars.
Conner Christmas, who was just part of Just For laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal , performs at Good Times 8 p.m., Friday, Aug. 26 then does double duty for the Broke Woke show.” He opens the show at Good Times on Saturday at 8 p.m. then joins Faris Hytiaa for the main show at 10 p.m. Tickets are $15.
The John and Scott band host Honkers Pub’s Friday night open mic. The JDs host the Saturday afternoon open mic at Honker’s pub.
There are a lot of cool shows coming up in September.
If you’re a fan of Alberta country icon Ian Tyson, don’t miss the Gift— A Tribute To Ian Tyson.
The travelling tribute , featuring the Chinook Arch Riders, John Wort Hannam, Tracy Millar, Tracy Oscar and special guest, legendary guitarist Amos Garrett visit Southminster United Church, Sept, 23 to play all of your Ian Tyson favourites like “Four Strong Winds,” “Summer Wages,” “Navaho Rug” and more. Tickets are $40 in advance $45 at the door.
The music begins at 7:30 p.m.
— by Richard Amery, L.A. Beat editor
