SUBMITTED BY THE CONVERGENCE TEAM
Salt Spring’s coolest free indie music event is back. The Convergence Festival returns for its fourth year on Friday, Sept. 26, from 2 to 10:30 p.m. in the Creekside parking lot, with a stellar lineup that blends national talent with local favourites.
This year the festival raises the bar with Polaris Prize–nominated headliners Reuben and the Bullhorn Singers, a collaboration between Calgary indie folk band Reuben and the Dark, and the Bullhorn Singers from the Blood Tribe in southern Alberta. Their powerful fusion of indie rock and powwow music has been earning national attention and promises to be a highlight of the season.
Festival co-producers Tommy van Deursen and Mary Kastle, in partnership with Salt Spring Arts Council and Graffiti Theatre, have curated a diverse program that celebrates the island’s creativity and community. The lineup features local favourites Daryl Chonka, Caraluna, Mary Kastle, Dub Alchemists, Hilltop Pranksters and JTS Variety (Jacob Hart, Tyger Jackson and Salome Cullen). Expect an afternoon and evening of soul, reggae, rock, folk and fresh new sounds.
For Kastle, who joined the production team after being inspired by Convergence in 2024, the festival represents the kind of live music experience artists and audiences crave.
“When I saw Convergence last year, I thought, this is the real deal,” she said. “It reminded me of something that I wanted to see more of.”
The festival is about more than just music. Salt Spring Arts Council will host craft activities for kids through its Crafting Connections program, The Wilding Foundation is presenting a FabLab booth, and South End Sausage will be serving their much-loved food.
The Creekside location, where the tidal river meets Ganges Harbour, is a fitting metaphor for the event. Just as ecosystems converge here, so too does the island’s musical culture and community. September offers the perfect moment to gather — after the bustle of summer but before the fall rains.
What began in 2022 as van Deursen’s idea to transform a café parking lot into a stage has quickly grown into a cherished Salt Spring tradition. With a strong production team, enthusiastic community support and an outstanding lineup, Convergence 2025 looks set to be its most memorable edition yet.
Admission is free, thanks to generous sponsors including The Wilding Foundation, Berman Foundation, Salt Spring Arts Council, Graffiti Theatre, Salt Spring Island Foundation, Cassette Cafe, Country Grocer, Salt Spring Exchange, South End Sausage, The Mateada, Sculptor Systems and Greg Pauker.
“Convergence is about creating something lasting,” said van Deursen. “It’s going to have roots, grow sustainably and do good things in the community each year.”