KELOWNA, BC – A big Okanagan event has booked out of the August long weekend.
Center of Gravity, a three day sport and music festival which has become the biggest event on Kelowna’s summer schedule, will take over the weekend prior following negotiations with the City.
COG organizer Scott Emslie believes July 25-27 will work well for his event.
“It’s only one weekend from our old weekend,” says Emslie. “Getting off the August long (weekend) will make it easier for accommodation and will be better for the local businesses.”
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The City of Kelowna requested changes following challenges experienced by the community during the 2013 event.
Hotels were booked solid due to the arrival of thousands of festival attendees and others who enjoy vacationing in the Okanagan on the August long weekend.
Neighbourhoods near the venue location in City Park found themselves overwhelmed by many who camped on the street.
While the August long weekend is a busy weekend for police, resources were taxed during the 2013 Center of Gravity event, creating further challenges to control drug and gang activity in and around City Park.
The City has yet to work out the impact of the COG date change with another waterfront event planned for the same weekend in Kelowna.
Don Backmeyer, Manager of Sport and Event Development with the City of Kelowna, says the City is in discussions with Dragon Boat Festival organizers regarding their date, but says nothing has been finalized.
Because Center of Gravity is a sell out each year, a limited number of tickets to the 2014 event will go on sale this Friday, with three day passes starting at $169.95.
Entertainers for next year’s event will be announced in April 2014, according to a press release issued Wednesday by Wet Ape Productions, which has secured Monster Energy again as the event’s main sponsor.
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