In its third year, Penticton害羞草研究所檚 Ignite the Arts is bigger than ever before with events packed into each of the last 10 days of March.

From the popular Parade for No Reason, to three days of music and performances, the festival will close out the month in style.

On top of the events that start on March 22, the Penticton Art Gallery has two exhibitions opening during the festival. One will explore mental health and the other will take a look at Canada害羞草研究所檚 medical assistance in dying program.

害羞草研究所淲e have may have taken on more than we should have, but it is what it is and we have no other choice but to see it across the finish line,害羞草研究所� said Penticton Art Gallery curator Paul Crawford.

害羞草研究所淚n terms of our performing artists, we have a list and it害羞草研究所檚 up to about 75 individuals now.害羞草研究所�

As before, the festival will kick off with the unveiling of the mini-mural project at Cannery Brewing on March 22, which will be followed by a week of activities and events at the gallery and across town with local partners.

害羞草研究所淭he whole festival was originally conceived as an extension of our spring exhibition program, and just looking at expanding it and working with other community partners to create deeper opportunities for engagement in the arts in our community.害羞草研究所�

Those partnerships include individual local artists and businesses, as well as organizations like the South Okanagan Immigrant Community Services.

The growth of those community partnerships is fueled in part by those who participated or heard about previous festivals.

One example of the community害羞草研究所檚 involvement in setting up an event is on March 23, when the Community Art Walk presents Sculpture Day. This year害羞草研究所檚 version features Canadian ice sculptor Aaron Grant, who will be making a custom piece for the festival.

害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 all Renee Matheson,害羞草研究所� said Crawford. 害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 a perfect example of somebody that has a passion that they want to pursue and are going for it.害羞草研究所�

Crawford also pointed to another local who will be part of the surprises in the Parade for No Reason, set for March 29.

害羞草研究所淎t one of our community meetings he came up to me and wanted to get involved,害羞草研究所� said Crawford. 害羞草研究所淗is passion is puppets, he had never done them before, but he wanted to get into making them, so he got together a puppet brigade for the Parade for No Reason.害羞草研究所�

Another new stage this year is the Legacy Den on Main Street, which will be hosting the festival害羞草研究所檚 new electro-acoustic stage.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 kind of on the other end of the spectrum of electronic music, more sound art and not necessarily about getting you dancing, 害羞草研究所� said Julie Fowler, the festival co-coordinator. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 definitely not our specialty, but it害羞草研究所檚 cool to bring in that element.害羞草研究所�

Look to the Penticton Western News害羞草研究所� March 29 print edition for a breakdown of the main festival weekend害羞草研究所檚 events. A complete schedule including Community Week is available online at