Top producer craves recognition / 18

Forget Tarzan -- meet Jane / 24
MONDAY, JULY 25, 2005

Canfor Knights reach B.C. final / 12

British police make bomb arrests / 15
80 CENTS (HOME DELIVERED: 57 CENTS A DAY)

Folkfest future in trouble
by FRANK PEEBLES Citizen staff This year's folkfest was terrific, according to the organizers, but it might be the last one. It was a good-sized crowd that came to see the second annual Prince George Folkfest this weekend, but not enough, and certainly not enough sponsors came forward in the lead-up, said Conway Fisher one of the principal festival officials. The financial shortfall won't be big, but it might kill the enthusiasm of the 100-percent volunteer squad who puts the show together and takes the hit at the turnstiles. "Other than the attendance disappointCitizen photo by Dave Milne ment, it was a f irst The Polyjesters perform at the class event. Nothing Prince George Folkfest can diminish the fan- Saturday. tastic experience I've gotten from working on the festival. It was great," he said Sunday, the day after it wrapped up. There was a big "but..." coming. -- see NEEDS page 3

Citizen photo by Dave Milne

SERPENT IN THE GARDEN -- A garter snake keeps a watchful eye out while sunning itself in a flower garden at Cluculz lake.

Festival showcases diverse range of talent
by FRANK PEEBLES Citizen staff The name of the Prince George Folkfest will have to be changed next year to the Prince George Trust Festival. Every artist the festival presented was in some way amazing, and that was agreed upon by a racially, socio-economically, demographically diverse crowd of people that plopped themselves in front of the stage to see music they don't normally listen to, artists they had largely never heard of, to hear songs they did not know -- and in fact were often in other languages. For the shallow consumer, not recognizing the names on the poster is the main reason to not attend an event like the folkfest, but the time has come to grow up, blossom, and lay some money down for a weekend in the park unlike any you will ever experience again. It is time to trust. After two years of complete artistic success, the volunteer organizers led by Jo and Greg Beattie have earned the confidence of the community. It doesn't matter if you've never heard of these artists before. It doesn't matter that none of them is a household name, you will like it. Each name you don't recognize is another reason to buy the ticket and pull up a piece of Fort George Park lawn. Trust this festival. Those who did so this weekend got to see members of local band BOP jamming with soul diva Sista Monica Parker, blues troubadour Ruthie Foster and the first family of the sacred steel The Lee Boys. They got to see Yael Wand from down the road in Wells sidle up to Juno winner Kiran Ahluwalia and TV songwriter (Joan of Arcadia soundtrack) Karla Anderson playing and discussing music on stage as peers. You got to see P.G.'s own Daniel Lapp trumpet the clouds away with east coast rocker Gordie Sampson and Baton Rouge Cajuns the Red Stick Ramblers like he was the missing spice in the gumbo. You got to hear John Wort Hannam from Alberta come on stage and do his version of the traditional (two years and it's already a tradition) festival singalong song by Prince George's adopted son Martyn Joseph. -- see ROBINSON, review, page 3
Citizen photo by Dave Milne

Maureen Washington, leader singer with BOP, belts out a song Saturday at Folkfest.

High : 23 Low : 10 page 2

Shop Free contest kicks off
Dekker, who expects entr ies to exceed Citizen staff Readers who faithfully enter The Citizen's 700,000. contests will be kept busy cutting and filling Citizen circulation manager, Colleen Sparrow out entry forms for the next few weeks as two said Shop Free is not only a great promotion for readers, but a "great contest for kids." contests overlap each other, beginning today. "Although the Live Free and Drive Free conThere's still time to enter the Great Grocery Giveaway for a grand prize of $6,000 in gro- tests are great for adults, this one gives kids a ceries to be drawn Aug. 16, and the ever-popu- chance to win gift certificates to their favourite lar Shop Free For a Year contest begins today stores in Pine Centre. It's just a neat contest for all," said Sparrow, who always looks forward to and runs through Sept. 30. The first weekly Shop Free draw will the excited, and sometimes stunned, reaction when grand prize winbe held Aug. 2. and the grand prize ners are informed that this is draw goes Oct. 5. their lucky day. Shop Free, which is open to all Lu Verticchio, Citizen adverages, offers weekly prizes totising director, said it's always a talling $11,500 by Pine Centre pleasure to work with Rick NelMall merchants, followed by a FOR A YEAR CONTEST! grand prize of $6,000 in Pine son, Pine Centre general managCentre Mall gift certificates. er, and Dekker in bringing this Virginia Dekker, marketing mancontest to Citizen readers. He said it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figager for Pine Centre, said she just loves this ure out why The Citizen contests are so popular. promotion with The Citizen. "What other newspaper do you know that "Just think what you could do with $6,000 in gift certificates -- that's $500 a month for gives away so much?" 12 months -- and $11,500 in weekly prizes. The way to enter Shop Free is simple. Readers That's a total of $17,500 in giveaways," she clip and fill out the official entry forms from daisaid. ly issues of The Citizen and submit them to par"With more than 100 stores and services to ticipating Pine Centre Mall merchants, or drop explore, you could literally shop `til you drop. off or mail them to The Citizen office, 150 Great prizes, great people, great service, a Brunswick St., Prince George, B.C. V2L 5K9. See great place to shop -- Pine Centre Mall," said the ad for all rules and regulations.

ON OFFER
Prizes during the Shop Free contest include:  Week One: 52 one-foot subs and two party platters from Subway ($500 value); and a Spa package for three from Charlie's Girl ($500 value).  Week Two: $500 gift card from HMV; and $500 gift certificate from The Gourmet Cup.  Week Three: $500 in gift certificates from Visions I Hour Optical; and a JVC home theatre system ($500) from Sight & Sound AudioTronic.  Week Four: Motorola phone accessory starter kit and $500 gift card from Wirelesswave; and $500 gift card from West 49.  Week Five: Digital camera and printer combo ($500 value) from Island Ink Jet; complete makeover ($500 value) from Chatters Salon; and complete makeover ($500 value) from the Electric Chair.  Week Six: $500 in gift certificates from Bryan's Fashions; $500 in gift certificates from Alive Health Centre; and a camera phone with MP3 player ($500 value) from ABC Communications.  Week Seven: $500 gift certificate from Shefield and Sons; $500 in gift certificates from Always Lock & Key; three-stone diamond ring ($500 value) from Ben Moss.  Week Eight: $500 gift certificate from The Body Shop; $500 gift certificate from Suzanne's; luggage and $100 gift certificate ($500 value) from D & M Handbags.  Week Nine: $500 gift certificate from Extreme; $500 gift certificate from Bell; three-piece diamond necklace, earrings and necklace ($500 value) from Ken's Goldsmithing .  Week Ten: Grand prize draw of $6,000 in Pine Centre Mall gift certificates ($500 per month).

INDEX
Annie's Mailbox . . . . . . . . 17 Bridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 City, B.C. . . . . 3, 5, 13, 17, 28 Classifi ed . . . . . . . . . . . 20-23 Comics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Crossword . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Entertainment . . . . . . 18, 19 Horoscope . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Nation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6, 7 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-12 World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14, 15

fr ee

shop !

0

58307

00100

8

SWITCHBOARD: 562-2441

CLASSIFIED: 562-6666

READER SALES: 562-3301