Join Amelia Sirianni, local musician, actor, and artistic director of Gadabout Stage Company, for a one-hour interactive workshop that uses voice, body percussion, and movement to bring a song to life. Welcoming and hands-on, this workshop invites families and youth to experience the joy of making music and the confidence and connection that come with it. No musical experience required.

Recommended Age Range: Best suited for families and children ages 0–12.

Youth Participation: Youth ages 13+ are welcome and may benefit from leadership opportunities, creative expression, and increased confidence through participation alongside younger children and families. 

Artist Bio

Originally from Vernon, Amelia Sirianni received her formal training at the Randolph College of Performing Arts in Toronto. For the last two decades, she has had the privilege of performing on stages across North America as well as in film and television. Since returning to the Okanagan in 2016, Amelia has worked with young people and adults of diverse abilities across the region through teaching theatre, musical theatre, improv, and film at the Caetani Cultural Centre, leading workshops for the Good Will Shakespeare Festival, as Theatre BC’s MainStage Festival youth instructor, and as an early childhood music and movement educator. Most recently, Amelia co-founded Gadabout Stage Company to bring original, interactive, professionally produced theatre to young audiences across BC’s interior.

Website: https://www.gadaboutstage.com/

The universal language of music resides in all of us! Drum circles regularly prove that drumming transcends race, social status, gender, and age and unites us all with rhythm. This workshop is open to the full range of drummers, from raw beginners to those with experience. African Djembe style drums will be provided so all you need to bring is your hands and a willingness to join in the fun! Bring your drum if you have one! We will start with how to get different types of sound from your drum, and then learn some rhythms using simple phrases. If you can speak it, you can play it!

This workshop is open to everyone, but participants below the age of 12 are required to be accompanied by an adult.

Artist Bio

Sari Cox has been a lifelong musician who began drumming in 2008. Thinking “how hard could this be?”, she quickly discovered that drumming was a ton of fun and no matter her mood when she started, she ended each session feeling uplifted. She began attending the bi-monthly drum circle that is sponsored by Trinity United Church, which is open to everyone including non-church members. This inclusivity was the key to her willingness to begin co-leading the Unity Drum Circle with one of the original founders, Ann Dorval. Now she spends time sharing her love of drumming alongside her other musical passion, jazz clarinet.

Join Orissa Steller and Orion Miller (Cosmic Drum) for an interactive workshop combining live improvised handpan music, mindfulness, and movement. Orissa will guide participants through accessible practices focused on reducing stress and anxiety, and improving everyday mental wellness, with opportunities to participate at whatever level feels comfortable. Participants will explore how music, breath, movement, and dance can help regulate the nervous system, process emotions, release old holding patterns, and elevate their mood. Cosmic Drum’s live “handpan hip-hop” beats will weave throughout the experience, creating a supportive and immersive atmosphere to amplify a sense of calm, renewal and overall wellbeing.

Artist Bio

Orissa Steller is a somatic-informed counsellor, life coach and yoga teacher, passionate about mental health and wellness. She brings a warm, inviting energy into the space that she facilitates and offers an integrative approach to healing. The foundation of her work is focused on helping to calm the nervous system, shift the patterns keeping you stuck, and move forward through life with more empowerment and ease. She has recently completed her professional counselling diploma and is excited to have new skills to support mental, physical, and emotional wellness in her community. 

Orion Miller is a multidisciplinary musician known for his visionary songwriting and genre-defying mood music. He lived in Montreal for over a decade playing with The OM Sound, collaborating with various artists and producing, and has recently moved back to BC. His newest project, Cosmic Drum is an invitation into his interpretation of the symmetry of sound, through handpan. 

Together they co-create an immersive experience for participants to experience the healing power of music and movement.

Instagram handles: @cosmic.drum  @orissastellercoaching 

Tiktok: @orissastellercoaching 

Website: www.orissawellness.com

Use photography as a way of mindfully noticing the world around you. Through creating photos and sharing what you see, participants will reflect on perspective, gratitude, and the small details that shape how we view the world. No photography experience needed –  just curiosity.

We’ll walk through downtown Vernon witnessing how light, structures and atmosphere can create opportunities for joy, gratitude, wonder and awe. Your camera phone becomes a tool for mindfully seeing ordinary places in extraordinary ways. Please bring your phone or camera for this workshop.

Artist Bio

Alison Beaumont is an Okanagan based multimedia artist who has a life long passion for photography, holding a BA (Hons) in Photography. Alison uses photography in workshops as a way to connect with the world around us, tapping into each person’s creative voice. With a Post-Graduate Certificate in Therapeutic Photography, Alison brings a unique and meaningful approach to workshops and programs. Through this expertise, Alison provides skill building activities to harness the mindfulness power of photography, supporting individuals to express their creativity, share their voice, and lean into empowerment through photographic expression.

Music has the power to help us process emotions, tell our stories, and connect with others in ways words alone often can’t. In this interactive workshop, Route97 explores how songwriting and performance can become healthy outlets for emotions such as grief, anxiety, anger, joy, heartbreak, and hope. Through personal stories, examples from our own original songs, and guided discussion, participants will gain insight into the creative process of transforming life’s experiences into meaningful music. Whether you’re a songwriter, musician, or simply someone looking for a creative outlet, this session encourages authenticity, self-expression, and confidence. Participants will leave with practical tools and prompts to help begin turning their own experiences into lyrics, melodies, or other creative expression, while discovering how music can build resilience, foster connection, and remind us that none of us are alone in what we feel.

Artist Bio

Route97 is a female-fronted pop punk/alt rock band from Armstrong, BC, delivering high-energy performances packed with nostalgia, powerful originals, and crowd-favorite anthems. Blending the energy of early 2000s pop punk with a modern rock edge, the band performs songs by artists like Avril Lavigne, Blink-182, Green Day, Sum 41, and Simple Plan alongside their own original music. Known for their engaging stage presence and connection with audiences, Route97 has performed throughout the province, including recently opening for Trooper at Funtastic Music Festival and headlining the Strong Sessions Festival in Vancouver. Their original singles, including Losing Myself and You & I, are available on all major streaming platforms. Whether playing community festivals, concerts, or packed dance floors, Route97 brings an energetic, family-friendly show that gets audiences singing along from the first song to the last.

Socials Facebook – Route97 Band Instagram – @route97band

This interactive workshop explores how music can be used as a practical tool to support nervous system regulation, stress management, emotional well-being, and resilience. Through a combination of rhythm-based activities, guided music listening, reflection, and collaborative music-making, participants will experience a variety of accessible music-based strategies that can be used in everyday life. Participants will have opportunities to engage directly with drums, percussion instruments, and group music experiences while exploring practical tools for wellbeing. No musical experience is required.

Facilitator Bio

Kira Hickerson-Johnson is a Certified Music Therapist and founder of Life Cycle Music Therapy, based in Vernon, BC. Originally from the Okanagan, she returned home after completing a Diploma in Classical Guitar and a Bachelor of Music Therapy with a Minor in Psychology at Capilano University.
Kira has experience supporting individuals across the lifespan in mental health, early childhood, long-term care, grief, and end-of-life settings. Her work uses music as a tool for connection, emotional expression, well-being, and resilience, drawing on guitar, voice, percussion, and creative music experiences.
As a proud Métis woman reconnecting with her cultural roots, Kira is committed to creating inclusive, accessible, and culturally respectful spaces. She is passionate about the role of music and creativity in supporting mental health, fostering resilience, and strengthening community connection.

The universal language of music resides in all of us! Drum circles regularly prove that drumming transcends race, social status, gender, and age and unites us all with rhythm. This workshop is open to the full range of drummers, from raw beginners to those with experience. African Djembe style drums will be provided so all you need to bring is your hands and a willingness to join in the fun! Bring your drum if you have one! We will start with how to get different types of sound from your drum, and then learn some rhythms using simple phrases. If you can speak it, you can play it!

This workshop is open to everyone, but participants below the age of 12 are required to be accompanied by an adult.

Artist Bio

Sari Cox has been a lifelong musician who began drumming in 2008. Thinking “how hard could this be?”, she quickly discovered that drumming was a ton of fun and no matter her mood when she started, she ended each session feeling uplifted. She began attending the bi-monthly drum circle that is sponsored by Trinity United Church, which is open to everyone including non-church members. This inclusivity was the key to her willingness to begin co-leading the Unity Drum Circle with one of the original founders, Ann Dorval. Now she spends time sharing her love of drumming alongside her other musical passion, jazz clarinet.