Looking back, Jim Byrnes says he didn含羞草研究社檛 know what was going to happen when he hosted the first Dream Music Festival in 2015.

含羞草研究社淲e certainly wanted to get the word out that we wanted to 含羞草研究社楰eep the Dream Alive,含羞草研究社� which was our motto,含羞草研究社� said Byrnes, referring to the effort to preserve The Dream Caf茅, a Penticton venue with a worldwide reputation.

Back for his third year as the Dream Festival host, Byrnes said he含羞草研究社檚 glad to see the efforts of the co-op and the performers were successful.

含羞草研究社淎wfully glad that it is alive. It含羞草研究社檚 gone through some changes, and they含羞草研究社檝e had their ups and downs, but here we are to keep things moving in the right direction,含羞草研究社� said 含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 a tough go, man, with the economy and the way the world is these days, you never know what is going to happen, but we certainly want to give it our best shot.含羞草研究社�

Featuring the likes of Steve Dawson, Shakura S含羞草研究社橝ida, Russell de Carle, Dave McLean and more 含羞草研究社� and Byrnes, of course 含羞草研究社� the festival brings together folk, rock, blues, R&B and gospel in a weekend to remember.

More:

含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 one of these deals where there is so many artists on, it becomes more than the sum of its parts,含羞草研究社� said Byrnes.

含羞草研究社淭here is a certain amount of magic to it. We含羞草研究社檝e got some returning artists and we含羞草研究社檝e got a bunch of new artists, which I think is great. We含羞草研究社檝e got some really new and good artists coming in this year that we haven含羞草研究社檛 seen before.含羞草研究社�

Byrnes is looking forward to the energy the performers, old and new, bring to the Dream Festival stage.

含羞草研究社淲ith the artists that I含羞草研究社檝e known for a long time, there含羞草研究社檚 a comfort in that part, but there含羞草研究社檚 an excitement in getting together with people I haven含羞草研究社檛 worked with before,含羞草研究社� said Byrnes. 含羞草研究社淭hat makes it even better.含羞草研究社�

Byrnes said the audiences at the festival are also something to look forward to.

含羞草研究社淓verybody is just so enthusiastic. The energy that you get back from them is part of the appeal. The music is one thing, but then all these people and the energy you get from them and everything is a great part of it,含羞草研究社� said Byrnes. 含羞草研究社淎in含羞草研究社檛 no audience, ain含羞草研究社檛 no show.含羞草研究社�

It makes for a long weekend, said Byrnes, but 含羞草研究社渟o worth it.含羞草研究社� That含羞草研究社檚 high praise coming from Byrnes, who含羞草研究社檚 been playing professionally since 1964, and performed with the likes of Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker and other greats of the blues scene.

含羞草研究社淚 have been doing this at some level, off and on professionally for some 52 years now. There have been some deep valleys and some great highs, but it is a gift I was given, to communicate through music and through storytelling,含羞草研究社� said Byrnes. 含羞草研究社淚 have just taken it as it comes and obviously it含羞草研究社檚 worked out for me, because I含羞草研究社檝e given it my all.含羞草研究社�

More:

Coming to Penticton also gives Byrnes a chance to visit friends, and enjoy the area.

含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檝e got a lot of friends up there, and look forward to coming and seeing some people as well as being at the event,含羞草研究社� said Byrnes. 含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 great up there. There are a couple of places that I love to go to on a given day. Up there on the bench, it含羞草研究社檚 kind of like being in heaven.含羞草研究社�

The Dream Music Festival takes place on May 12 and 13, in the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre. Tickets are on sale at the South Okanagan Events Centre box office or online at