Although accordion jokes abound, there are no musicians more passionate about their instruments than accordionists.
Forty players descended on Enderby recently for the fifth annual Accordion Get-to-Gether, with players travelling from everywhere from Prince George to Trail to represent British Columbia, as well as from Alberta and Idaho.
Daily events consisted of full circle jams with all players participating. The fist day was dedicated to individual performances that spotlighted the versatility of the accordion and featured classical, folk, country and swing numbers performed by solos, duets and band groups, much to the delight of spectators.
The Vernon Accordion Club started off the Tuesday performances with 12 members present. The second evening found 30 accordionists joining together to form a mini massed band playing several numbers. The sound of accordions could be heard from around many of the campers in the Enderby RV park long after the scheduled events had ended.
The week wound up with a well-attended dance at the Enderby Legion, which featured four bands made up of people from different areas and provinces joining together to keep the dancers dancing.
“By Thursday afternoon, everyone wanted to know the dates of the 2018 Accordion Get-to-Gether. The only conclusion I can draw is that everyone had a great time and is looking forward to next year,” said Nyla Hirsch, a member of the Vernon Accordion Club and organizer of the Accordion Get-to-Gether.