International Avenue turns into concert venue for 40 bands at East Town Get Down

International Avenue annual music festival encourages Calgarians to come down for good food and great independent music.

The East Town Get Down Festival took over International Avenue Saturday night.

More than 40 bands from all over North America came to perform.

The event puts musical acts in non-traditional venues while giving festival goers the chance to enjoy authentic international cuisine.

Organizers say it’s those unique touches and the vibrancy of International Avenue that keeps people coming back.

“I think this area has a lot of artists and a lot of musicians, but also there’s a lot of vitality and culture here,“ said International Avenue executive director Alison Karim-McSwiney, who is also the event organizer of East Town Get Down, ”So we felt it was really appropriate to meld it together and create this festival, and people love it, because it’s in non-traditional venues.

“You go into a bowling alley, you go to an Eritrean restaurant, you can pop into Bravo, which is Latino food – so it’s a really good way to experience International Avenue in a very cost effective way but also listening to some fabulous independent music.”

Saturday was the seventh year for the festival.