Organizer Ruben Young is excited about his accomplishment at this year’s event
50 Days YYC is Calgary’s newest and longest music festival which began Aug. 15, and ran for 50 straight days ending earlier this month. It featured new artists and venues everyday throughout the event.
Coordinator Ruben Young has been campaigning on behalf of Calgary’s local talent and showcasing it around the city at different venues.
Produced by Savaya Shinkaruk
Young said the decision to run the festival for 50 days was because he wanted people to get the chance in their busy schedules to make it down to a venue to enjoy some musical talent.
Some people were against Young’s concept for the festival.
“Early on with 50 Days there was a misconception that we were essentially on a mission to save Calgary music, which is pretty far from what we actually set out to do,” Young said. “We wanted to create a platform that enables more Calgarians, busy Calgarians, of all walks of life to discover great Calgary talent.”
Young’s goal was to create a unique experience unlike anything Calgary has ever seen before.
On Day 18 Aislinn Grant took the stage at Analog Coffee house and performed for guests and bystanders who attended the event on this sunny day in August. Photo by Savaya Shinkaruk
Dave Wilder, founder of The Big Give Project, a charity that gives kids the financial requirement to play sports, is a big supporter of Young and his entrepreneurial goal.
“50 Days is a great group of young entrepreneurs that have decided to use us as their beneficiary for their festival,” said Wilder. “Ruben Young has been a friend of the organization for four or five years so we were just absolutely thrilled to hear that he wanted to involve us and we are happy to be involved any way we can with those guys.”
Featuring up and coming talent, this festival has given local musicians a platform to present their musical background and unique styles.
The editor responsible for this article is Skye Anderson sanderson@cjournal.ca