Sunshine Music Festival 2026

September 5 September 6

Celebrate the end of summer at the Sunshine Music Festival, a beloved Labour Day weekend tradition held on the beautiful waterfront at Palm Beach Regional Park. For more than 45 years, this volunteer-run, non-profit festival has brought together an outstanding lineup of musicians from across British Columbia and Canada, creating an unforgettable weekend of live music in one of the qathet region’s most scenic settings.

In addition to world-class performances, the festival features artisan vendors, local food, family-friendly activities, and a welcoming atmosphere that keeps people coming back year after year. Bring a chair or blanket, relax by the beach, and enjoy two days of incredible music, community, and West Coast hospitality at one of the region’s signature summer events.

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Songs of the Land, Music of the Stars – PRISMA Festival Symphony Concert

June 26 @ 7:30 pm

Date: Friday, June 26, 2026

Time: 7:30 PM

Venue: Evergreen Theatre

Tickets: $35 | Free for youth | Save 20% with a festival pass

Performers: PRISMA Festival Orchestra | Arthur Arnold, Conductor | 2026 Concerto Competition Winners and Student Conductors

Programme: Coulthard – Introduction and Three Folk Songs | Holst – The Planets

The penultimate night of PRISMA 2026 crowns the Concerto Competition winners as soloists while student conductors take the podium. Coulthard’s elegant Canadian work opens the evening before Holst’s iconic The Planets sends the audience soaring through the cosmos.

Free – $140 Tickets $35, Festival Passes $140, Under 18 free
5001 Joyce Ave, Powell River, BC V8A 5R2
Powell River,
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Canadian Voices & Bohemian Fire – PRISMA Festival Chamber Music Concert

June 25 @ 7:30 pm

Date: Thursday, June 25, 2026

Time: 7:30 PM

Venue: Evergreen Theatre

Tickets: $35 | Free for youth | Save 20% with a festival pass

Performers: Guest Artists and Select Students

Programme: Raum – Suite for Woodwind Quintet | Morlock – Blue Sun for Violin and Viola | Raum – The Bushwakker Six Pack | Dvořák – Piano Quintet No. 2 in A major

A feast of Canadian composition and Bohemian soul. This chamber concert pairs newly minted Canadian works by Raum and Morlock with Dvořák’s irresistible Piano Quintet — one of the most joyful pieces in the chamber repertoire. An evening that celebrates the living, breathing heart of musical creation.

Free – $140 Tickets $35, Festival Passes $140, Under 18 free
5001 Joyce Ave, Powell River, BC V8A 5R2
Powell River,
+ Google Map

Sinfonietta Strings Ensemble – PRISMA Festival Showcase Concert

June 24 @ 7:30 pm

Date: Wednesday, June 24, 2026

Time: 7:30 PM

Venue: Evergreen Theatre

Tickets: Admission by donation — pay what you can

Performers: Sinfonietta | Carla Birston, Conductor

Programme: Repertoire TBA

The VSO School of Music’s premier advanced youth strings ensemble takes the stage in a polished and passionate showcase. Conducted by Carla Birston, Sinfonietta demonstrates the extraordinary level of young string playing nurtured in our region — all for a pay-what-you-can donation.

PWYC
5001 Joyce Ave
Powell River, BC V8A 5R2 Canada
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Visions of the Romantic Soul Matineé- PRISMA Festival Orchestra Symphony Concert

June 20 @ 1:30 pm

Visions of the Romantic Soul – Encore Matineé Performance

An unforgettable orchestral evening driven by passion and drama. Siblings Gwen and Desmond Hoebig unite as soloists in Brahms’ sublime Double Concerto, followed by Berlioz’s revolutionary Symphonie fantastique – one of the most vivid and cinematic scores ever written.

Date: Saturday, June 20, 2026

Time: 1:30 PM – Doors open at 1:00 PM with a cash bar before the performance

Venue: Evergreen Theatre

Tickets: $35 | Free for youth | Save 20% with a festival pass

Performers: PRISMA Festival Orchestra | Arthur Arnold, Conductor | Gwen Hoebig, Violin | Desmond Hoebig, Cello

Programme: Brahms – The Double Concerto in A minor | Berlioz – Symphonie fantastique

5001 Joyce Ave
Powell River, BC V8A 5R2 Canada
+ Google Map

Visions of the Romantic Soul – PRISMA Festival Orchestra Symphony Concert

June 19 @ 7:30 pm

Visions of the Romantic Soul

An unforgettable orchestral evening driven by passion and drama. Siblings Gwen and Desmond Hoebig unite as soloists in Brahms’ sublime Double Concerto, followed by Berlioz’s revolutionary Symphonie fantastique – one of the most vivid and cinematic scores ever written.

Date: Friday, June 20, 2026

Time: 7:30 PM – Doors open at 6:30 PM with a cash bar and live entertainment before the performance.

Venue: Evergreen Theatre

Tickets: $35 | Free for youth | Save 20% with a festival pass

Performers: PRISMA Festival Orchestra | Arthur Arnold, Conductor | Gwen Hoebig, Violin | Desmond Hoebig, Cello

Programme: Brahms – The Double Concerto in A minor | Berlioz – Symphonie fantastique

5001 Joyce Ave
Powell River, BC V8A 5R2 Canada
+ Google Map

Four Season by Candlelight – Grand Opening Gala – PRISMA Festival

June 18 @ 7:30 pm

Kick off PRISMA 2026 in spectacular style. The Gala Opening Concert pairs Canadian premieres and contemporary works with the timeless magic of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons – all in the warm glow of candlelight. A breathtaking launch to two weeks of musical celebration.

Date: Thursday, June 19, 2026

Time: 7:30 PM

Venue: Evergreen Theatre

Tickets: $35 | Free for youth | Save 20% with a festival pass Performers: Guest Artists and Select Students

Programme: Stokes – Fanfare / Adventure of John Ware | Estacio – Overture | Stockhausen – Zyklus für einen Schlagzeuger | Françaix – Wind Quartet | Vivaldi – The Four Seasons

Free – $140 Tickets $35, Festival Passes $140, Under 18 free
5001 Joyce Ave, Powell River, BC V8A 5R2
Powell River,
+ Google Map

Garneau String Quartet – PRISMA Festival Showcase Concert

June 16 @ 7:30 pm

Passion & Transcendence

An intimate showcase of string chamber music at its finest. The acclaimed Garneau String Quartet joins forces with celebrated cellist Desmond Hoebig for a programme that spans contemporary flair, Beethoven’s wit, and the profound depths of Schubert’s late masterwork.

Date: Tuesday, June 17, 2026

Time: 7:30 PM

Venue: Evergreen Theatre

Tickets: $35 | Free for youth | Save 20% with a festival pass Performers: Garneau String Quartet with special guest Desmond Hoebig, Cello

Programme: Mazzoli – Enthusiasm Strategies | Beethoven – String Quartet No. 5 in A major | Schubert – String Quintet C major

$140 Tickets $35 u0026 Festival Passes $140; Under 18 free
5001 Joyce Ave
Powell River, BC V8A 5R2 Canada
+ Google Map

PRISMA Festival 2026

June 15 June 27

PRISMA Festival 2026

The PRISMA Festival returns to Powell River from June 15–27, 2026, bringing two weeks of world-class classical music, emerging talent, and unforgettable live performances to the qathet region.

Hosted annually in Powell River, British Columbia, the PRISMA Festival connects internationally renowned guest artists with top music students from around the world. Audiences can experience everything from full symphony concerts and chamber music to family-friendly performances and free community events.

At the heart of the festival is the PRISMA Festival Orchestra, led by Artistic Director Arthur Arnold, performing major orchestral works alongside guest soloists and competition winners. With nearly 50 events taking place throughout the festival, PRISMA offers something for seasoned classical music lovers and curious newcomers alike.

Festival Events

June 27 – PRISMA on the Beach – Free

June 17 – Concert Competition Finals – Pay What You Can

June 18 – Gala Grand Opening – Ticketed

June 19 – Week 1 Symphony Concert – Ticketed

June 20 – Sail to the Symphony Matinée – Ticketed

June 23 – PRISMA for Kids – Free

June 24 – Sinfonietta String Ensemble Concert – Pay What You Can

June 25 – Chamber Music Concert – Ticketed

June 26 – Week 2 Symphony Concert – Ticketed

5001 Joyce Ave
Powell River, BC V8A 5R2 Canada
+ Google Map

Sunshine Music Festival

August 30, 2025 @ 12:00 pm August 31, 2025 @ 12:00 am

On Labour Day weekend 2025, we invite you to dance your heart out under the towering trees framing our beachfront stage. Indulge in a refreshing swim, fill your belly with delicious food from our many local vendors, and take a wander of our artisan market to find that special treasure.

Check out our 2025 line up!

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