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LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON - The annual Open Sky Festival, the highlight of the artistic year in the Deh Cho, is just a week away.

Staff and volunteers at the Open Sky Creative Society, the organization that hosts the festival, are making the final preparations for the event, said Michael Blyth, the society's program co-ordinator.

Phoebe Punch of Trout Lake, seen here working on a spruce root basket, is scheduled to lead a traditional art's workshop at the upcoming Open Sky Festival. - NNSL file photo

The ninth annual festival will take place in Fort Simpson from June 26 to 28. This year's theme is Kue-Home.

"I think it was an interesting theme to approach artistic practice in general because people's art and their cultural identity are influenced by what they consider home," Blyth said.

In conjunction with the festival the OSC Gallery is hosting a new media exhibit that shares the festival's theme.

The festival will officially kick off with a reception for the exhibition, along with a meet and greet and barbecue, on June 26 at 5 p.m.

The festival will also include many of the events that people have come to expect over the years, said Blyth.

There will be two pre-festival workshops on animation techniques and digital photography for youth that will start on June 22 and 25 respectively.

During the festival 10 artists will also be offering workshops on topics ranging from birch bark baskets to silver smithing.

Saturday will include music and workshops on the papal flats from noon to 5 p.m. followed by a storytelling evening from 7:30 to 8 p.m.

The Brother In-Law Band from Kakisa and fiddler Linda Duford from Hay River will provide the music for the dance that night.

On Sunday, there will be a "general art extravaganza" at the recreation centre that will include more workshops and demonstrations, said Blyth.

An evening program will start at the flats at approximately 5:30 p.m.

After a winter spent in the society's office organizing the festival, Blyth said it will be rewarding to see all the work come together.

"It will be fun to see some of the regulars that come back year after year," he said.

The festival is behind the formation of the Open Sky Creative Society.

Originally some local artists were interested in getting together and working on projects together, said Blyth.

They decided to try holding an arts festival and had to form the society in order to apply for funding.

"They tried it once and it just kind of rolled from there," he said.

The festival is still the most publicly recognized aspect of the society but over time it has become one of many, said Julia Tsetso, the society's president.

The society now offers programs throughout the year including workshops, the gallery and social events such as coffeehouses.

The festival, however, is still a much anticipated event.

Tsetso said she enjoys seeing new and emerging artists display their works at the festival and talking with the artists.

"It's a great place for people to interact with each other in a positive environment," Tsetso said.

"We want people to have a good time."