The concept of the Olds Music Festival came from a local piano teacher, Pat Dyck, who approached the Olds and District Music Teachers with the Festival idea. After receiving the support of the Music Teachers, Pat Dyck, together with Music Teachers president Margaret Zimmerman, arranged to meet with Jim Spicer one summer day in 1983 to see if he would approach the Kiwanis Club to sponsor a music festival. They didn’t dream this would spark the idea for a full blown Festival of the Performing Arts for the Town of Olds and surrounding district. Their desire was to see young musicians of this area given an opportunity to learn, perform, and compete in an organized Festival and to give friends, family, and the community a chance to attend and enjoy local talent. 

The Kiwanis Club of Olds supported the idea, and Jim and Alma Spicer, Bea Dodd, Pat Dyck and many other volunteers spent many hours planning and organizing to get the first Festival off the ground. The first Festival was held in 1984 with 364 entries. 

The Festival became a registered Society under the Provincial Societies Act in 1983, and in 1984 became a member of the Provincial Music Festival Society. Over the years, the focus has changed from a competitive festival to one with a teaching and learning approach.  We now get entries from Airdrie, Carstairs, Crossfield, Didsbury, Sundre, Three Hills, Olds, and even Calgary. 

It is impossible to name all those who have contributed to the Festival over the years.  The Kiwanis Club of Olds has been the source of both volunteer as well as financial support.  The Festival Boards over the past many years have spent countless hours planning and preparing one of the best Festivals in the country.  Some of the names that arise often – the past presidents of the Festival are – Jim & Alma Spicer, Hugh Robinson, Dr. Rick Dvorak, Dr. A. Stewart, Linda Weber, Mary Hays, and Dianne Powney. 

All those who contribute to the Festival as either participants, board members, volunteers, audience, or financial sponsors, do so for the wonderful music and speech arts that so many had the opportunity to enjoy over the years.  Past participants look back fondly to the days of Festival and they cherish the musical skills that they learned and the many friendships that have been formed during the Festival.  Some have made music their career.  Kathleen van Mourik who participated in one of our early Festivals, is now a professional pianist and accompanist and is well know both in Canada and in Europe.  In the upcoming years, look for more young Canadian musicians who at one time participated in the Olds & District Kiwanis Music Festival.