Vancouver, B.C. (October 1, 2017). The second Vancouver International Guitar Festival (VIGF) will take place August 11 and 12, 2018 at Creekside Community Recreation Centre in the former Olympic Village on False Creek.
Momentum for 2018 event is strong following the unqualified success of last June’s inaugural festival, which showcased top luthiers from around the world and drew over 2000 guitar aficionados and buyers. VIGF immediately established itself as Canada’s largest boutique exhibition of stringed instruments.
“For a first year, I think you hit it out of the park!” said David Kaye, marketing manager for Taylor Guitars, the leading guitar manufacturer in America. His enthusiasm was shared by virtually all 70 exhibitors, many of whom have already signed on to the 2018 program.
“Everything in Vancouver—including the exhibitors’ guitars— was top notch,” reported Fretboard Journal. “You expect (or at least hope) to see legendary makers like Bruce Sexauer, Grit Laskin and Linda Manzer at a typical high-end guitar show. But the world of electrics – including the guys from Milimetric, Kauer, M-Tone and Prisma Guitars (the latter using reclaimed skateboard decks to make exquisite instruments) gave the whole affair a youthful energy, too.”
“We are so proud to be able to showcase the world-class work being done by guitar makers in British Columbia and Canada,” says VIGF producer and luthier Meredith Coloma, “and to provide opportunities for our own talent to network within the international guitar-making community. Our industry is putting down deep roots, with generations of luthiers learning from one another.”
“We’ve had amazing feedback,” says co-producer Shaw Saltzberg. “Luthiers have told us they made lucrative connections with buyers. And we heard again and again how much people loved hearing our B.C. musicians perform during the festival. In 2018 we’ll have two stages featuring live music all day. We’re also expanding the popular master class program.”
The two-day exhibit will again feature both acoustic and electric instruments as well as guitar-making tools, tone woods and accessories. The festival venue is a state-of-the-art community centre on the south short of False Creek, close to public transit and downtown amenities.
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