Country. Country-rock. Metal.
You can find it all Friday, Aug. 22, at Armstrong's Memorial Park.
Hometown band The Dirt Road Kings take the stage under the gazebo for the final Music in the Park show of 2025. The Dirt Road Kings are a country cover band, playing everything from new country favourites to country classics.
They will perform from 7 to 9 p.m.
Immediately after, at 9:15 p.m., comes a free showing of the documentary Harvesting the Power of Music, a 45-minute film about the history of Armstrong Metalfest, put together by producer Mike Babott of Rhythm Productions in Armstrong, and co-producer Celena Sandaker.
"This is the story of Armstrong MetalFest and how Armstrong perceived the event and reacted, to where we are today," said Babott.
The documentary begins with the first MetalFest in 2009, organized by band members Jessie Valstar and Bretton Melanson. The first two shows were held at Melanson's parents' acreage in Spallumcheen, and when nearly 500 people showed up for MetalFest 2, mom and dad said the show had to move to a bigger location.
Valstar and Melanson approached the Township of Spallumcheen and City of Armstrong about holding the weekend concert festival at the Hassen Arena in Armstrong. Valstar then got word from Armstrong Advertiser reporter Heather Black 鈥� now a Black Press Media reporter in Salmon Arm 鈥� that a special parks and recreation meeting was called to discuss MetalFest.
Black told Valstar about the meeting, which he knew nothing about, and went in wearing board shorts and a Slayer T-shirt to pitch MetalFest to the parks and recreation committee in front of a packed crowd of upset people.
It was late Armstrong Coun. Ron (Sully) O'Sullivan who stood up and spoke in favour of the event and Valstar, and Armstrong MetalFest had a new home.
It hasn't left since.
"The room was full of residents who were extremely pissed off that this event was happening because it was going to ruin the town," said Babott. "Reluctantly, they let Jessie put the event on, and now it's turned into one of the most profitable weekends for businesses here in town.
"Everybody loves MetalFest and the people that attend."
The 15th MetalFest was held July 11 and 12 at the Hassen Arena.
Valstar, today, is a sitting councillor for the City of Armstrong.
Babott and Sandaker's documentary was first screened in Armstrong at Centennial Theatre May 31. The showing Friday at Memorial Park will be the last screening of the well-received documentary until January 2026. After that, the film will be available free online.
"People have been loving it," said Babott.
Harvesting the Power of Music has been shown at the Sunshine Film Festival in Vernon, and is a semifinalist at the Seattle Film Festival. The local film has been entered into several film festivals worldwide.
