Did you know the Okanagan Folk School has a new gift shop? It’s open 10am – 4pm, Wednesday to Sundays at Our Space, the yellow schoolhouse across from Swim Bay:

 

 

 

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Your chance to try something new! Register for these Fall Okanagan Folk School classes on their website:

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June 23, the Okanagan Folk School hosted their first event in the Our SPACE building on Beach Ave – a book signing!

 

 

 

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On May 31, the Okanagan Folk School joined PCAC and BEEPS reps, plus the District of Peachland and Mayor Patrick Van Minsel for the official opening of Our Space at the historic yellow schoolhouse on Beach Ave:

 

 

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Craft demonstrations, shopping, coffee and snacks! On Car Show day (Sunday, May 19) the Okanagan Folk School joined the PCAC and BEEPS in their new home – Our SPACE, in the historic yellow schoolhouse across from Swim Bay (photos from the OKFS Facebook pg)

 

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Sign up for the OKFS newsletter

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This June, the OKFS welcomes forager / author Mikaela Cannon to Peachland for a book signing. Admission is by donation, and this will take place in the new Our Space (Peachland historic schoolhouse across from Swim Bay.) Reserve your spot for the June 23 event here.

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OKFS was at the 2024 HeARTS Festival!

 

From 2023:

How did the Okanagan Folk School get its start? Meet Murray Wood…

The Folk School was at the big craft market at the community centre, November 25!

 

Did you know the OKFS has a GoFundMe page?

Join their email newsletter!

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The Okanagan Folk School was at Peachland’s 104th Fall Fair!

 

 

 

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The Okanagan Folk School was once again, part of Peachland’s mural festival! They had a lineup of fun games for the kids in Heritage Park. Here’s OKFS board member Darlene Hartford, BEEPS president Rachel Truant and Mayor Patrick Van Minsel. More info on the September 2 & 3 festival here.

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Sign up for a stained glass, woodworking, make a wall hanging – or even weave your own Okanagan quail! Fall classes are coming up! Check out their new website!

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Find something handmade, meet OKFS instructors and get info about upcoming classes at the Peachland Farmer’s Market this summer! Every Sunday from 10am – 2pm. You can register for upcoming classes any time!

OKFS director / instructor brought his…ducks to opening day May 28. They stole the show!

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What works, what doesn’t – and we might as well weave a broom! The OKFS board of directors recently set aside a day for some strategic planning at Annabel Stanley’s home studio (she’s a director and an instructor!) Here’s the team with their creations:

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The OKFS team was at the 24th World of Wheels on May 21! Yes, there were ducks at the tent (ask Lee Etherington about it). You can also find OKFS at the Peachland Farmer’s Market every Sunday 10-2.

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Almost every weekend, there’s an OKFS class! Have you ever wanted to make something out of stained glass? Pen and ink drawing? Drumming? Lots of classes to choose from on the the website!

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A trio of Okanagan Folk School instructors are being featured at the Rotary Centre for the Arts in Kelowna! Woodcarver Lee Etherington, weaver Annabel Stanley and fused glass artist Juliane Braren’s works appear in the centre’s atrium display case. Head to downtown Kelowna and check it out! 

Photos courtesy Annabel Stanley:

 

 

 

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Make a bowl – out of felt, figure out how to do stained glass, and try a new tool! Whether you’re into woodcarving, weaving, storytelling, cooking and more, the Okanagan Folk School has been welcoming some new instructors! Check out the course calendar to register.

Here are some words from OKFS president, Murray Wood:

“One of the many things I enjoy about the Okanagan Folk School is meeting with artisans that are passionate about what they do and are excited to share their experience with the community. This makes for some very enjoyable conversations. This winter we added some new courses such as fused glass, drumming, pottery, sketching as well as some intermediate courses in stained glass and power carving.

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All set up for Peachland’s annual Christmas Market Day!

 

 

 

 

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Annabel Stanley’s vineyard studio was snowed in – so students gathered at the Peachland Chamber of Commerce over the weekend to make some Christmas crafts out of willow and vines. It’s one of the Folk School’s most popular classes! Check out the course calendar for more.

There’s also a cooking class (on Nov 24 Brian Greekas will be helping you prepare a simple three-course seafood meal), knitting and of course – wood carving! Your instructor for that is Lee Etherington. Here he is, setting up at the Hub’s Tuesday Night market, every Tuesday from 4-8 pm:

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This was so fun! An afternoon spent outdoors, with a beauty view while bending willow and grape vines into art! It’s something I’ve never tried before, and Folk School instructor Annabel Stanley had space in her Oct 23 wreath-making class. She showed us how to choose the right thickness of Dogwood and Aster to bend into a circular shape that we kept building on – mine barely fit in the trunk of my SUV! I love it:

 

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Also this weekend, the OKFS’s very first power carving class! the Dremel company has generously gifted the school new sets for students to use. After just one class, look what they made!

More classes are taking place Nov 5, 19 and Dec 3! You can register for upcoming courses on the Folk School website. There’s a stained glass for beginners course on Nov 6, knitting and storytelling on Nov 8, and Annabel will be back Nov 13 with another course, on weaving small stars and Christmas trees!

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The Folk School is always looking for new course ideas, and we love connecting with people who want to be instructors. You can email president Murray Wood for more info.

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It was the last day of the season for the Peachland Farmer’s Market – and as it came to a close, there was a big moment for the Okanagan Folk School: The draw for a unique hand-carved eagle bench, created by OKFS instructor Lee Etherington (he’s teaching a course this fall, check out the OKFS website to sign up!)

Congrats to our winner, Sheila Vincent! Lee set up her new bench in a sunny spot at her house:

..and another congrats to Andrea Maclean who won $275 in the 50/50 draw.

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Fall classes are in full swing! Whether you want to learn to knit, cook, paint with acrylics or use a Dremel, the Folk School is always looking for interesting classes to offer. Send them an email, or check out the website!

 

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You can win this one of a kind, handcarved eagle, which is part of a bench being raffled off Sept 25 by OKFS! Tickets are $5 each and OKFS directors will be selling them outside the Peachland IGA from 12 to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday Sept 13, Friday the 16th and Tuesday the 20th. While you’re there, get a 50/50 ticket, too! $5 each. The OKFS also has a booth at the Sunday Farmer’s Market.

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OKFS was a big part of the Making Waves mural festival! On Day 1, they set up a craft show complete with demonstrations:

 

 

 

 

 

 

And of course, OKFS Director / Instructor Lee Etherington was outside with his chainsaws:

 

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What do you want to learn this fall? Registration for Okanagan Folk School courses is open! Whether you want to learn how to weave a basket, carve a piece of fallen wood, try your hand at stained glass, aromatherapy candles – maybe even what to make for dinner – they have something interesting for you. Check out their website for more info! Members get regular updates and special advance notice on registrations – and depending on your membership level, you may be eligible for a subscription to the Peachland Phoenix! A win-win for supporting local.

According to the latest OKFS newsletter, you can still get your hands on a 50/50 or raffle ticket! So far, $2,000 is up for grabs – and the raffle prize is something special: A custom wood carving and bench, from OKFS’s own Lee Etherington! Check out his story, here! It’s about choosing to do what you love..

 

The OKFS board of directors are happy to hear from you – whether it’s a suggestion for a class, how to sign up – or maybe you even want to teach? We’re at every Sunday Farmer’s Market, the Tuesday Hub market, and the upcoming Making Waves mural festival, where we will be hosting a crafting extravaganza – served with tea and goodies! This all happens over the September long weekend in downtown Peachland.

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It’s been a great summer for the Okanagan Folk School! Their booth was set up at Heritage Park on Canada Day, and they’ve been part of the Peachland Farmer’s Market every Sunday:

Paula McLaughlin is a ukulele AND a macramé instructor for the school! And Denise Miller and Silvana Terry (pictured below) spent some time with us too. Denise is a professional storyteller and Silvana is a longtime jewelry maker! For more course offerings, visit the Okanagan Folk School website! We’ll be taking a break in August, and back with some new classes in September!

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Come and see us at the Peachland Farmer’s Market! We’re happy to tell you about our school – and we’re always open to suggestions on what YOU want to learn! We’re also selling some cool artwork – including some cool vine art and those carved bears, both made by two of our OKFS directors!

 

 

 

OKFS Annabel Stanley and her proud students – they made little quails out of vineyard vines! Check out the OKFS website for upcoming classes.

 

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We’ve been busy lately! It was great to be part of the World of Wheels, which was back after a two-year absence:

 

 

 

 

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May 29 was the first farmers’ market of the season – and the Folk School will have a booth set up every Sunday in Heritage Park, from 10-2!

 

 

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What else is new with the Okanagan Folk School? We just had our AGM and are fine-tuning our offerings. We’re always interested in hearing about what you’d like to learn! Coming up, is a canoe course. Check out the OKFS Facebook page for more, and register on the website!

 

The Okanagan Folk School hosted its first class over the weekend – and look at those smiles! Annabel Stanley taught everyone how to make these awesome woven baskets. All the material was sourced from Annabel’s own vineyard, and students were able to make their creations right amongst the vines!

 

Next weekend’s courses are on geocaching and macramé – and there’s plenty more to come next week, like canoeing, painting and knitting! There’s still time to register – check out the OKFS website!

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The ribbon has been cut and the Okanagan Folk School is officially open! Here are some pictures from the April 9 VIP event and the April 10 open house at the Peachland Chamber of Commerce (across from Heritage Park). Did you know classes are being offered now? Everything from macramé, geocaching, knitting and more! Check out the OKFS website and sign up!

…Bruce (the Town Crier) and LindaLea Klippenstein were a perfect addition to the event. Bruce rang the bell and announced “Class is in session!”

A special guest coming from Washington State to the Folk School’s opening weekend this April 10 and 11 is Dawn Murphy. She’s on the board of directors for the Folk Education Association of America, whose mission it is to further learner and community-led education. There’s folk schools south of the border than have transformed their towns – not only because of the economic spinoff from offering classes – but on a community scale, but the sense of accomplishment and self-sufficiency people feel when they learn how to do something new.

As she says in this article, which is worth a read, Murphy says instead of pursuing – and relying on big corporate employers for economic growth, small towns can gravitate to folk schools. And by encouraging and helping local artisans & makers to share what they know, prioritizing the local economy and eventually, adding programs that build jobs and different skills in the community – that’s how folk schools can make a positive impact.

Here’s some pics from the open house:

 

 

 

 

You can also become a member of the OKFS! Check out the website and if you have any questions, send the directors an email! 

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So many local makers – from wood carvers, macramé artists, basket weavers, to hiking experts, geocachers and canoers – are interested in teaching us all about their crafts. Have you ever wanted to try something new, something you do with your hands? That’s why the Okanagan Folk School exists. There’s some established Folk Schools across the US, and with that inspiration, a Folk School serving the entire valley, will be created right here in Peachland!

You’re invited to the Okanagan Folk School’s open house, planned for Sunday, April 10:

Read more about the new Okanagan Folk School