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

害羞草研究所淲e certainly wanted to get the word out that we wanted to 害羞草研究所楰eep the Dream Alive,害羞草研究所� which was our motto,害羞草研究所� 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害羞草研究所檚 glad to see the efforts of the co-op and the performers were successful.

害羞草研究所淎wfully glad that it is alive. It害羞草研究所檚 gone through some changes, and they害羞草研究所檝e had their ups and downs, but here we are to keep things moving in the right direction,害羞草研究所� said 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 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.害羞草研究所�

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

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害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 one of these deals where there is so many artists on, it becomes more than the sum of its parts,害羞草研究所� said Byrnes.

害羞草研究所淭here is a certain amount of magic to it. We害羞草研究所檝e got some returning artists and we害羞草研究所檝e got a bunch of new artists, which I think is great. We害羞草研究所檝e got some really new and good artists coming in this year that we haven害羞草研究所檛 seen before.害羞草研究所�

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

害羞草研究所淲ith the artists that I害羞草研究所檝e known for a long time, there害羞草研究所檚 a comfort in that part, but there害羞草研究所檚 an excitement in getting together with people I haven害羞草研究所檛 worked with before,害羞草研究所� said Byrnes. 害羞草研究所淭hat makes it even better.害羞草研究所�

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

害羞草研究所淓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,害羞草研究所� said Byrnes. 害羞草研究所淎in害羞草研究所檛 no audience, ain害羞草研究所檛 no show.害羞草研究所�

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

害羞草研究所淚 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,害羞草研究所� said Byrnes. 害羞草研究所淚 have just taken it as it comes and obviously it害羞草研究所檚 worked out for me, because I害羞草研究所檝e given it my all.害羞草研究所�

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

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e got a lot of friends up there, and look forward to coming and seeing some people as well as being at the event,害羞草研究所� said Byrnes. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 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害羞草研究所檚 kind of like being in heaven.害羞草研究所�

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