Sunfest 2019 opened Thursday, Aug. 1 with some great shows, despite a late-evening downpour from a once-a-decade summer storm.
Lindsay Elzinga, who boasted to the audience that she “grew up just down the street” from Laketown Ranch, drew a big crowd of friends and family so her 5:20 p.m. performance, which turned into a huge block party where almost everyone knew each other and newcomers were just invited in to join the fun.
Once she left the stage, two huge transport trucks rolled into the restricted area, bearing the name “Jason Aldean” and serving notice that Friday’s headliner was bringing tons of equipment with him.
After a break for a performance by Bryce Allan at The Flats, Shawn Austin took control of the big crowd from his first note on the Main Stage. Fans rushed the pit area, trying to get close to the stage and the crowd, now pouring into the main concert bowl, hurried to find their seats or get a good spot in the general admission area.
Austin’s set of songs he’d written, and those he wished he’d written, went down really well with the crowd, kicking off the big holiday weekend, where the weather could only get better. He managed to complete his set before the real downpour started but fans of later acts: Cody Johnson and Randy Houser had to deal with some genuine Lake Cowichan rain, which arrived a bit earlier than it usually does.