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Great entertainment always a highlight at Great Lake Walk
By Doug Marner - Lake Cowichan Gazette
Published: September 14, 2009 9:00 PM
It’s natural that the Great Lake Walk and Ultramarathon, which runs this Saturday, is best known for the participants who do the grueling 56-kilometre trek around Cowichan Lake from Youbou to Caycuse, Honeymoon Bay and Mesachie Lake to Lake Cowichan.
There are many other highlights of the big event, though, including the great entertainment presented in the arena parking lot.
Even if you don’t intend to cheer on a Great Lake Walk participants, the entertainment alone is worth the visit — and it’s free.
This year there’s a great mix of local and visiting talent that should satisfy every artistic taste.
Gerry Annis of Lake Cowichan hits the entertainment stage first for Saturday’s Great Lake Walk, with his set starting at 10 a.m. in the arena parking lot.
The music starts at 10 a.m. this Saturday with well respected Lake Cowichan musician Gerry Annis. Annis, with his trusty guitar, can play just about any kind of music, from country and western to rock and roll to the blues. His quality guitar playing is well worth the listen.
Annis is followed at 11 a.m. by the Lake Cowichan Idol winners from the last few Lake Days, with Colin Wylie, Katiera Brown, Mary Lynn McGill and others performing. This portion of the show will prove to you there is plenty of young talent in our community.
Mary Egan, who coordinated the entertainment and is the MC, will hit the stage at around 11:15 a.m.; she will show off her beautiful voice when she belts out a few songs herself.
At 11:30 a.m. it’s the MoonDance Dynamic Arts School, based in Shawnigan Lake.
“I saw them perform at the Shawnigan Lake Walk (held in May) and they are incredible,” said Joan Hieta, chair of the Great Lake Walk Committee. “I would recommend people come to watch them. They just blew me away.”
MoonDance Dynamic Arts School celebrates diversity and cultural understanding, with classes in Shawnigan Lake, Victoria and Cobble Hill.
To learn more about this school of dance, go to www.moondancearts.ca.
Recording artist Beverley McKeen — whose CDs include Poetic Wax and On Purpose — hits the stage starting at noon. She’s known for her quality songwriting and beautiful voice.
McKeen, who is originally from New Brunswick but now lives in Duncan, has been writing and singing her own songs since she was 17 years old. She says she has an Eastern seaboard influence in her music.
McKeen held a CD release party at the Duncan Garage in April for her new work, Poetic Wax.
She is also well known for using her musical talents for worthy causes, including writing the Save Cowichan Lodge song and helping spearhead the Groove For Food challenge in Duncan.
Darryl Alsbrook and Company will perform starting at 2 p.m. Alsbrook hails from Youbou and has been a regular at the Great Lake Walk.
Andrew MacDonald will conclude the live shows when he performs starting at 3 p.m.
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