KRFY Community Radio hosts live variety show for the holidays
By Reader Staff
Panhandle Community Radio KRFY, 88.5 FM is putting on a holiday variety show, and the public is invited to watch and participate in the live broadcast on Friday, Dec. 5 at the Panida Theater (300 N. First Ave., in downtown Sandpoint).
“The KRFY Holiday Spectacular” is now in its third year, and the first in a new location on the historic Panida main stage. The program is modeled on an old-fashioned variety show, common on radio airwaves throughout the 20th century, with music, drama and comedy intermixed — all performed live for broadcast and an in-person audience. Most of the acts are oriented toward celebrating the holidays and the winter season in North Idaho.
Admission is $10 and children 12 and under are free. Tuning in on 88.5 FM or streaming at krfy.org is, of course, free.
Audience participation will be a component of the show. Live musical acts include Brendan Kelty and Andy Ohlrich, Truck Mills and Carl Rey, Sadie Sicilia, Kjetil Lund, the Sandpoint High School Choir and a special guest appearance by vocalist Meg Turner. Performers will be accompanied by a house band of Paul Gunter, Justin Landis, Liam McCoy and Denis Zwang.
Local writers Emily Erickson and Zach Hagadone — who Reader readers will recognize as the author of the “Emily Articulated” column and as editor-in-chief, respectively — will be sharing stories of holidays and winters past in North Idaho.
In addition, local thespians from the Lake Pend Oreille Repertory Theater Company will join featured players from Sandpoint’s “Festivus” program to perform a humorous presentation created especially for the radio.
“We’re very excited to be bringing this show back and putting it up on the big stage at the Panida Theater,” said Jack Peterson, of KRFY, who will act as master of ceremonies. “It’s a lot of fun to put this whole thing together, and it’s so great to do it with a bunch of very different acts that somehow end up coming together. It’s a great expression of the community radio spirit that this station represents.”
Doors open at 6 p.m. for the 7 p.m. show. The program will last two hours, and can be heard live on the airwaves at 88.5 FM or streaming at krfy.org. Get tickets at panida.org.
