Coldsnap Festival organizer Jo Beattie is off to England.
The Grade 1 teacher at Vanway elementary, is opting into an exchange program where two teacher's trade houses and jobs for about a year.
"My mother [who lives in England] turned 90 this November so that's the biggest reason for going," said Beattie. Husband Greg is taking a sabbatical from his job as director of the Wellness Centre at UNBC so he can accompany Beattie on the trip. Son Benedict, who is graduating in June, will also make the trip.
All my siblings are in England and France so it's the time to do it, said Beattie
Beattie said she's leaving the Coldsnap Festival in the capable hands of the board members who have been working towards operating the next concert series, Apres Coldsnap and next year's Coldsnap Festival on their own.
The Coldsnap duties will be split into small categories so each board member can be a part of the whole.
"We have highly-competent, committed, key volunteers and enough long-time volunteers to organize the festival," said Beattie. When she returns to Prince George she will continue to play the mentoring role and not be involved as she once was. Beattie was public relations officer as well as a major fundraiser for the event.
Beattie first came here in 1977, met her husband three years later, went back to the UK and returned to Prince George in 1989. Beattie began a company in the UK called Calico Concerts, which she continued in Prince George. Beattie presented concerts and then in 1999 acted as folk artist Martin Joseph's agent for four years before she made plans to create a folk festival in Prince George.
The first summer festival was held at Fort George Park in 2004. In 2007 with $10,000 from the city, they put on the next festival as Coldsnap 2008, because in summer Prince George residents tend to leave town during vacation time.
"With continued sponsorship, community support and great volunteers, we've been able to have successful, sold-out winter festivals," said Beattie. "I really couldn't have done it without the total support of my husband, Greg. He should get total credit because we've always worked together."
Beattie has had enough interest in her return to the United Kingdom to resurrect the booking agent duties of Calico Concerts for Canadian artists.
"When I come back to Prince George I will continue with the booking agency and I'd also like to work co-ordinating and advocating for festivals in the North," said Beattie, who is a member of Western Roots Artistic Directors that is an advocacy group for about 20 festivals. "I always wanted to do that but never had the time and it's needed."
