You don’t usually find a mosque helping host a country music festival, but that’s exactly what’s happening in Calgary this weekend.
The Baitun Nur Mosque is donating space in its parking lot to the “Country Thunder” festival.
“It’s awesome having this right by,” crew member Alex Stevens said. “Such hospitality helps us out.”
Stevens is putting together festival video for social media out of a trailer outside the mosque, which is right across the street from the Country Thunder site at Prairie Winds Park in northeast Calgary.
Mosque leader Sultan Mahmood said the festival’s opening day comes at a busy time.
“Friday is a special day and we have the Friday prayers,” Mahmood said. “So a lot of people are here on Fridays. It’s the busiest day at the mosque.”
Organizers have agreed to turn down the volume during prayer times, which occur five times a day.
They’ve also agreed to the mosque’s request that there be no alcohol brought onto the mosque’s property.
“We’ll make sure we respect all that,” Stevens said.
“I think we should be fine,” Mahmood said.
Stevens thanked Mahmood for hosting, who responded: “We wish you best of luck for the program.”
The Country Thunder festival runs Friday, Aug. 19 through Sunday, Aug. 21.
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