The Cranbrook Public Library's fundraising summer music concert passed quite a milestone this year, as the Fifth Annual Idlewild MusicFest was held last weekend.

Originally organized as a way to raise money to buy new shelves for its collection when the Cranbrook Public Library made the move into its new home in 2006, the Idlewild Music Fest has been held every August since then and raised thousands of dollars for the library.

Library Board chairman Keith Powell said this year's MusicFest was another success, drawing about 450 concert-goers, up from the 400 who attended the event last year. Final calculations aren't in yet but Powell said they have raised somewhere between $3,000 and $3,500. That money will go towards a couple different areas at the library.

“We're working on finishing up our landscaping, we've done about three-quarters of it. We've got the Second Street North side still to complete so the funds raised will be used there and also we'll be buying more books and CDs and that kind of thing just to add to the library's collection,” Powell said. “It will all help out in the operation of the library and just make it better for everybody that uses the library on a regular basis.”

Valdy, acclaimed Canadian folk musician, who pleased all ages of audience members, headlined the event.

“The people that were there just loved the concert, there was a great line up, they were really wowed by Valdy and his performance,” Powell, who was MC of the event, said. “One of the albums he has out is a kids album so all these kids went up to the front of the stage and he started playing from his kids stuff and they just loved it. That was an extra bonus.”

The MusicFest line up also included Nelson's Aspen Switzer and local groups redGirl, and Old Spice and musician Heather Gemmel, all of who delighted those watching.

“I was talking to someone and they said they had only planned on staying for the first hour of the MusicFest, they were pressed for time, and she said the performances were so good she ended up staying for all the performances,” Powell said. “There seemed to be an awful lot happening last weekend, still we were able to draw a good crowd so we were happy with that.”

Powell thanked all of the volunteers and sponsors of the Idlewild MusicFest who made the event run so smoothly. He said the summer student they were able to hire also did a great job helping with the coordination of the event.

“It's a great summer event and I think it's something that serves the community well, having a music festival in the summer. We had people from Creston and the Columbia Valley so it wasn't just local turnout, but we brought people into town as well,” Powell said.

The Library Board will make the choice if it wants to hold another Idlewild MusicFest next year.