Ben Coey is co-producing this year’s Lovefest, which returns to Linnaea Farm on Saturday August 10th.  

“Rex, Amy and Rick have been running and producing the festival for a number of years. They’ve  decided that they need to have a bit of a break from doing it. I’ve worked with Rex on a number of projects previously.  He asked me if I liked to get involved and help out with co-producing and I said, ‘yeah, sure,’” Coey explained.

“I’m good friends with Rex. I’ve toured for many years as a drummer in a band with Rex’s son, Jack. I’ve always loved coming to Lovefest, and played in it a couple of times. I’m spending more time up in Cortes and gradually moving up here. This is a nice way to just get involved with the community.”

Cortes Currents: Tell us about this year’s Lovefest

“It’s going to be the same vibe as previous years. It’s just going to be about nice folks having a good time: good tunes, good crafts, lots of blankets, good food, hanging out all day and into the evening. It’s very much about just having fun and just enjoying each other.”

While a number of acts have yet to be confirmed, Coey was able to release a partial list of performers. 

“We have a few special feature acts who are going to be coming through, quite a lot locals also:

• “Johny Hanuse is going to be playing a set this year, 
• and the McKentys (the Awakeneers).
• Nicole Demers, 
• Six Foot Johnson, a really great on-island band,
• Heather Wolf, 
• Michael Keith,
• Rick Scott is going to be doing a kid’s set, as well as an adult set. 
• Doc Fingers, who is a wonderful blues pianist. 
• We’re going to have a very special set from Ann Mortifee, who’s going to be playing a catalog of some of her greatest hits. 
• If you were there at the last Love Fest, we had a terrific Cuban band playing. Adonis Puentes is returning to Cortes and will finish the night off.

“Early bird tickets for the festival are on sale now.  You can pick those up at the Friday Market.  Myself and Rex we’ll usually be there and we’re taking cash.”  

They are also for sale at the Co-op, Cortes Market, Squirrel Cove General, and the Gorge Store.

• Adult – $40
• Family – $80
• Under 18 – $30

Benji Coey: “It really is a budget game.  Love Fest is not a profit making business.  It’s a ‘can we cover the costs and not leave anyone having to pay for it?’ type of business.  Hopefully with the support of the community, we’ll fill it out again and we can break even. That is the goal.” 

Cortes Currents: Are there any more details you can give us about Love Fest?

Benji Coey: “We’re still a few months out.  So it’s really putting together the team who are  going to be involved with making it happen. Once we have all that lined up though, various leads in the various areas we’ll be taking on their projects and  finalizing the lineup in terms of foods and all the specifics like that. So I can’t reveal a great deal right now. , all I can say is it will be as good as any other year of love.” 

Cortes Currents: Tell us a little about yourself.

Benji Coey: I’ve been in Canada for a little about 19 years. I am  from York in England. When I moved over here, I started some venues in Victoria. Whilst I was doing that, I was playing drums in a lot of different groups and touring a bit throughout North America with a band called ‘The Lonely.’ I’m playing a lot of Roy Orbison music and a lot of early rock and roll.” 

“My main job is writing game shows and quiz shows. Coming to Cortes, for example, I do my quiz show in Mansons Hall. That is my main bread and butter, what I do professionally. I’m gradually moving up to Cortes island, which I’ve been in the process of over the last year or so.  I go down to Victoria to work, and then I come up here to write and work on building my life up here.” 

Correction: This article originally contained incorrect facts about Six Foot Johnson, which were removed on June 8, 2024.

Top image credit: Dancing during Pierre Schreyer and Adam Dobray’s performance at Lovefest 2022 – courtesy Lovefest

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