The Ryga Festival Society is a registered charitable society, with the aim to follow George Ryga’s inspiration and foster creativity and creative expression in any art form. Most of Ryga’s plays deal with social issues, including “The Ecstasy of Rita Joe.” There was always music, discussion, and a lively exchange of ideas in the Ryga family home, and the Ryga family always welcomed visitors from near and far to their home surrounded by orchards in Summerland. Inspired by this, the Ryga Festival includes storytelling, singing, creative writing, acting, playwriting, and more.

We have explored agricultural stories, stories of “weathering the storm,” how music can inspire us in challenging times; we celebrated R&B music from Celeigh Cardinal and soaring melodies from Catherine MacLellan; experiencing new plays, poetry and non-fiction writing from local playwrights, writers and internationally renowned authors, and more. With so much to enjoy, we ensured as many people as possible were able to attend with our Pay-What-You-Choose pricing and multi-ticket discounts. We look forward to sharing the arts with you here in Summerland.