Festival Afloat 2022: the Salish Sea Tour came together in a beautiful culmination of music, food, paddling, and raising funds and awareness for Indigenous access to justice.
We raised over $50,000 for Heiltsuk’s and Gitxaała’s legal campaigns.
None of this could have happened without the support from our incredible sponsors or the performances and storytelling from the different musicians and knowledge keepers.
Scout
Our presenting sponsor of this year’s Festival Afloat was Scout! If you had the opportunity to hop aboard any of our 3-hour Boat Cruises, you may have tried some of Scout’s sustainable canned seafood. You can read more about Scout, find store locations that sell their products and order online on their website: https://enjoyscout.ca/
Guayakí Yerba Mate
Along with Scout canning, the support from Guayakí allowed us to double our funds raised throughout Festival Afloat. An added bonus: our staff, performers, and audience all had ample opportunity to sip the delicious yerba mate throughout the Salish Sea Tour as the deck of the Providence ship was lined with cases of Guayakí. Find Guayakí near you: https://guayaki.com/guayaki-near-you/
Country Grocer Salt Spring
This family owned grocery store is quick to step up in support of local events and Festival Afloat Salt Spring Island was no exception! Thanks to Country Grocer for sweetening the matching funds pot and giving much needed support to RAVEN’s festival. https://www.countrygrocer.com/locations/salt-spring-island/
Mill Bay Marine Group
In addition to providing free moorage to the Providence in Sidney and on Pender Island, the kind folks at Mill Bay also hosted the volunteers and crew on Pender for a take-out dinner at the beach. https://www.mbmg.ca/
hOMe Grown Living Foods
hOMe Grown Living Foods is a Vancouver Island based farm that makes small batch ketogenic snacks to fuel an active lifestyle. Owner chef Shani Cranston prepared delicious meals to nourish the RAVEN crews as we sailed the Salish Sea! Stock up on healthy options here: https://homegrownlivingfoods.ca/
The Gathering Place Trading
We’re grateful to this family-owned business based on beautiful Cortes Island, BC offering (always!) certified organic, non-GMO, sustainably produced, direct from farmers teas and spices. Thank you Ryan and Lovena for the chai and rooibos! https://gatheringplacetrading.com/
Blue Dog Kayak
You may have enjoyed this year’s Sidney/Victoria show from a kayak rented from Blue Dog! You can find safe, fun and affordable Sea Kayaking instruction at Blue Dog Kayak: https://bluedogkayaking.com
Deep Cove Kayak
If you’re in Vancouver and looking to rent a kayak or paddle board, Deep Cove Kayak offers a range of options and launches in the beautiful little seaside village on the eastern end of North Vancouver. They also offer lessons and tours! Book your paddle here: https://www.deepcovekayak.com/
Nada
Nada’s package free grocery store located in Vancouver has been a longtime supporter and RAVEN champion. This year at Festival Afloat, Nada employees volunteered their time to help us out at our Jericho show! Shop for sustainable, healthy goods in person or online here: https://www.nadagrocery.com/
Jericho Sailing Centre
The team at the Jericho Sailing Centre has been a great support to Festival Afloat! They offer a variety of rentals and lessons that get folks out on the water to explore the Vancouver shoreline. They have camps, clubs and co-ops alongside a public deck and restaurant. Find out more here: https://jsca.bc.ca/
Talaysay Tours
Some of our Vancouver Boat Cruise tour guests were accompanied by a local Indigenous knowledge keeper, thanks to Talaysay Tours. Sharing stories of the land from time immemorial to the current day, these guides opened our eyes to the threads that have woven together the beautiful lands around us. Read more about Talaysay Tours and what they offer here: https://www.talaysay.com/
Desirée Dawson
A wonderful friend and supporter to RAVEN, Desirée Dawson’s voice carried out over the Jericho waters and welcomed paddlers and listeners on the beach. We’re so grateful for Desirée’s continued support and enthusiasm to be a part of Festival Afloat! Check out this blog we wrote about Desirée to learn more and find her music: https://raventrust.com/introducing-songstress-desiree-dawson-who-will-be-performing-at-festival-afloat-2022/
Ms. PAN!K
Ms.PAN!K’s experimental loop-pedal-driven soundscapes merge and mix vocal elements, traditional drum, guitar and percussion all overlaid with poignant lyrics to satiate and meditate on. Haida wisdom is woven with multiple genres as she explores live PA and production; weaving indie and folk roots with elements of hip hop, spoken word, and indie Indigenous soul. Thanks to Ms.PAN!K for sharing this beautiful offering with RAVEN aboard Festival Afloat. Read more and find her music here: https://raventrust.com/ms-panik-festival-afloat-2022/
Renée Layla
The final leg of the Festival Afloat 2022 Salish Sea Tour we were joined by Renée Layla and Dennis Ellesworth as they carried the Providence home with their sweet tunes. And if you happened to be aboard our final Boat Cruise, you were lucky enough to be serenaded with a special acoustic performance. We hope to invite Renée back again in the years to come! Find out more about Renée here: https://raventrust.com/renee-layla-festival-afloat-2022/
Dagger Harbour
Our surprise musical guests, Dagger Harbour, joined the RAVEN crew aboard the Providence at the Pender Island show, where we heard from a local that the show was “the coolest thing to happen on the Island in a long time.” Listen to Dagger Harbour’s music here: https://daggerharbour.bandcamp.com/
Douglas Thistle Walker
This Galiano Island based Indigenous musician took a minute away from his duties as owner/chef at Montague Harbour’s Crane & Robin Restaurant to share some beautiful acoustic tunes. Hear more songs of hope inspired by a deep love of reggae and country life on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/douglas-thistle-walker
The Providence
This year’s Festival Afloat 2022 Salish Sea Tour could not have happened without the Providence and it’s captain and crew. This beautiful tall ship’s Captain, Simon, warmly welcomed us aboard for ten days as we sailed the Salish Sea. He shared stories of his own travels, the history of the Providence and had many sea-worthy puns to add in. Thank you to Simon and his first mate, Matt, who quite literally held down the ship for us as we sailed through the lands and waters that First Nations have been stewards of since time immemorial.
