Tim Collins/News staff
Fans of bluegrass and country music are in for a treat at Butchart Gardens as the legendary Ricky Skaggs takes the stage for a one-night-only concert at Butchart Gardens.
The concert will take place on the Concert Lawn Stage at 8 p.m. on August 16 and the concert is included in the general admission to Butchart Gardens on that day.
It’s all part of the Gardens’ daily summer concert series that, by summer’s end, will feature have featured an eclectic mix of entertainment ranging from the soul and funk styling of Groove Kitchen to the Chris Millington Band to the Canadian Brass and more.
Daphne Gardner, the manager of public relations for the popular tourist attraction is thrilled with the upcoming Ricky Skaggs concert.
“We’re very lucky to get artists of that calibre coming to the gardens, for sure. In part, it’s because we have such a great location and artists really enjoy coming here if they can fit it into their touring schedule. When the weather is great, like we’ve had this month, there is no place like it,” said Gardner.
She cautions that having a iconic performer like Skaggs on stage has the potential of presenting some logistical problems as space is limited on the concert lawn where an audience of about 3,500 can be accommodated.
“We encourage people to come early and bring a chair or a blanket to watch the show. But even if we run out of room on the actual concert lawn the music can be heard throughout the gardens so even people who are just enjoying a stroll through our site are going to be able to hear the music,” said Gardner.
The only real issue with the potential of creating disappointment to late-comers to the Skagg’s concert is the parking capacity of Butchart Gardens. Gardner noted that once the parking lot is full, admissions are cut off except for tour buses and visitors using transit. Even visitors who have pre-purchased their tickets for the night are guaranteed parking only up to 6:30 p.m.
“Although we certainly advise people to come early and enjoy the gardens before the concert, we’re confident that we’ll be able to accommodate fans of Ricky Skaggs, just as we’ve accommodated fans of the other acts we’ve featured this summer. We’ve had a very robust concert series, and the reviews we’ve heard from our visitors about the concerts and the venue have been overwhelmingly positive.”
Gardner acknowledged that Ricky Skaggs and the Kentucky Thunder may represent the Garden’s biggest act of the season.
By the age of 21, Skaggs was already considered a master at his craft and he is a 15-time Grammy Award winner and the recipient of 63 other prestigious awards, not to mention his induction to the Musicians Hall of Fame.
