Bringing Band in the Sand home

Student organizers are turning Lakeland College’s annual Band in the Sand into a streamed concert series everyone can enjoy throughout the month of March.

COVID-19 made the traditional Band in the Sand experience – 2,000 people attending a live concert at Lakeland’s Equine Centre – impossible last fall. The agribusiness students tasked with planning the event as part of a class project decided to get creative and Band in the House was born.

“People are excited to see that we are persevering and adapting to the circumstances that we’re faced with rather than just treating the event like something that can’t happen this school year,” says Jessa Dumkee, project lead for Band in the House. After completing an animal science technology diploma, Dumkee enrolled in the agribusiness program and is building her skill set with this immersive student-managed project.

“We’re not trying to compete with what Band in the Sand usually is, instead we’re creating a new opportunity for everyone to connect. Fostering a sense of community is more important than ever this year, and we’ve had very positive responses from the students.”

The temporary, pandemic-driven rebranding will see a series of live and pre-recorded performances streamed digitally every Thursday evening in March at 7 p.m., beginning March 4. Performers for March 4 include Brandon Davis, Jordyn Pollard, Blake Berglund and The 38 Free, with Olivia Rose, the Tanner Olsen Band, Tom Hall, North 49 and more scheduled for the following Thursdays.

“Taking a massive event like Band in the Sand, which relies so heavily on in-person participation, and turning it into an online event presented the students with a series of challenges,” explains Cole Ambrock, agribusiness instructor and project coordinator.

“Together, they are working on booking talent, researching different digital platforms for the event and ensuring working out all the logistical details. It’s a tremendous learning opportunity for our students. They are developing essential business, leadership and management skills. It is one of many hands-on activities we incorporate into the program that ensures when our students graduate, they have real experience that will help them thrive in the workplace. It was essential to us and our students that we find a way to make the event a reality this year, even if it looks a little different.”

While Band in the Sand is usually a fundraiser contributing to student clubs, this year, it will be a free event open to everyone, with the goal of offering a way to connect and foster a sense of belonging.

“Tickets will be free and anyone can log on and enjoy,” says Ambrock. “We will not be contributing to student clubs this year, instead we are helping build the campus community during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now more than ever, our key objective is unifying all students and displaying what it means to be a Lakelander.”

“It’s so important that we still promote the community to students and give everyone a sense of belonging here at Lakeland,” Dumkee explains. “Keeping everyone connected, even if it’s virtually, is very important to us. We’re so thankful for everyone who has donated their time and our sponsors for making this possible.”

The event was made possible by the students organizing it, the performers donating their time, and headline sponsor New Holland. MNP and the Co-operators Vegreville have contributed as well. Cody Maz from Maz Entertainment is assisting the student organizers as well.

Visit facebook.com/LLCbandinthesand for the latest updates and information. The event will be streamed on Run The World and can be accessed at this URL: runtheworld.today/app/invitation/17610