This summer's installment of Festival by the Marsh focuses on ideas of belonging and place

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For the past 4 years, Sackville has played host to the Festival by the Marsh, one of the most diverse festivals that the Maritimes has to offer. Each summer, visitors to the area affectionately known as "the marshes" have come to expect a diverse and comprehensive line-up of cultural activities.

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Mark Brownlee/This Week

Actors in the Festival by the Marsh production of The Tempest rehearse near Mount Allison's Swan Pond, where the outdoor production is slated to take place.

The schedule of events that this year's organizers have on offer is no exception. From July 5 to 27, organizers have planned events that run the gauntlet of cultural activities, including theatre, music, writing, fine arts displays, and educational workshops for young people.

The festival is intimately connected with its setting, says artistic director Ron Kelly-Spurles. Both through inspiring those who are putting on the festival and providing a setting of natural beauty for festival-goers to enjoy, the town of Sackville plays an important role in the Festival by the Marsh.

"The marsh and its wildness and natural beauty, as well as many other locations around town, including the Mount Allison Swan Pond where we perform our outdoor Shakespeare, inspire us both in our choice of materials and also as we work on them," says Ron. "Sackville is such an artistic and cultural town, it really inspires us."

Organizers have chosen "Our Place" as the theme for this year's festival. In a world that has become increasingly expensive for long-distance travel, the theme will certainly ring true for many residents of South-eastern New Brunswick.

"We chose this year's theme because of our feeling of belonging to Sackville, and also the other meaning it has - that of exploring what exactly is "our place" in this ever changing and complicated world we live in," says Ron.

Which is not to say that only residents of Sackville will find something of interest at the Festival by the Marsh. With a diverse smattering of community events, workshops, and artistic endeavours, this year's festival offers a wide variety of options by which attendees can get involved.

One of the events upon which the festival has made its name is its annual Shakespeare production. This year, the festival will present a complete outdoor staging of The Tempest, to be performed beside Mount Allison University's famed Swan Pond.

The Tempest's main character, Prospero, will be played by a professional actor, Halifax's Kevin Kincaid. He will perform alongside students from Tantramar High and Mount Allison University. Ron says the play will create "an exciting tension that combines with the magic and music in the play to make it a real treat for audience members."

The festival will offer three outstanding musical acts as part of its "Marsh Jazz/Blues/World Music Fest." The Black Umfolsi 5, Syl Johnson, and The Donato-Nasturica-Gearey Trio will perform between July 8 and 16. As well, the ECMA-nominated Sackville favourite David Myles will give a free concert.

Festival-goers and their families will get a better feel for Sackville's historic sites on the Festival Open Doors and Family Day on July 5. Visitors will be able to check out the Sackville Music Hall, the Carriage Factory, the Sackville Harness Shop, and the world-famous CBC Radio towers along the Tantramar Marsh.

Following this, organizers will present plays, concerts, workshops, and other events that will provide enjoyment for the whole family.