Earlier this month, the Kiwanis Club and Kootenay Festival of the Arts (KFA) board of directors announced the cancellation of the 2013 Festival of the Arts.
For almost 80 years, the festival has been a shared event with Nelson, with the exception of the war years.
The festival offered students of various artistic disciplines the opportunity to perform in a theatrical environment.
Over the years, students of dance, voice, drama, piano and other instruments have participated in the adjudicated events.
Volunteers ran the non-profit event, and “Friends of the Festival” provided donations so that cash prizes could be awarded.
“This year, we are short of volunteers,” said Shirley Mendoza, chair of past KFA events.
“We just can’t find enough people.”
In 2011, Trail hosted almost 1,000 students from Spokane, the Okanagan and the Kootenays to participate in the 10-day event.