OROVILLE – Clyde Andrews, president of the Oroville Chamber of Commerce announced this week that the Chamber has received a $5,000 grant from Kinross Gold Corporation in support of the inaugural Rally at the Border Blues Festival. The event will take place Saturday, May 17 at Deep Bay Park.

“We are thrilled to have this vote of confidence from Kinross in our efforts to build a tourist-attracting festival here with the potential to grow,” Andrew said. “This generous donation puts us over a third of the way to reaching our goal for contributions needed to underwrite the 2014 event.”

Deana Zakar, Community and Government Relations Specialist with Kinross said, “Kinross Kettle River – Buckhorn is pleased to be able to assist with an event that will help bring outside dollars into the local economy. The blues festival sounds like an excellent opportunity to bring music, culture, tourism and economic development to the region.

The timing of the festival coincides with the annual Armed Forces Day Run to the Border motorcycle event that originates in Wenatchee and brings several riders to Oroville by early afternoon that Saturday. Planners hope the festival will persuade many of the participants to stay on into the evening for the event as well as remain in Oroville for the Sunday charity poker run that will take place in several Northern Okanogan locations.

The festival is open to the general public, and attendees must be 21 years of age and over. It will get underway at 2 p.m. and continues until 10 p.m. and features five bands. The musical line-up includes Junk Belly, Red House, Blues Edition, Voo Doo Church of Blues and North Half. Advance tickets are on sale for $20 and may be purchased on-line at www.rallyattheborderbluesfest.com. Tickets will also be sold the day of the event for $25.

The Oroville weekend of events is a project of the chamber’s Discover Oroville Committee, comprised of interested citizens, that is charged with developing long range tourism development strategies.