One of the best-kept secrets in southeast Saskatchewan, the Ananda Arthouse, will be putting on its first Forget Summer Arts Festival this Saturday, July 23.

The Ananda Arthouse has been hosting small concerts within the community of Forget for over four years. The Arthouse is really the home of Forget residents Don and Shannon Shakotko, whose love of music prompted them to build a stage in their house and open it to public performances.

The name of their home, "Ananda," is itself a reference to the Shakotkos' love of music. It is defined as "that joy, without which the whole universe would fall apart."

The Forget Summer Arts Festival, the first that the couple have organized, is a celebration of both music and art, said Shannon Shakotko.

On the music side, there will be a total of 11 artists performing from 1 p.m. to 11 p.m.

With performances every hour on the hour, the line-up is as follows: Bob King and Family (not from Weyburn), The House of Doc, Joe Stanton, Lil' Miss Higgins, Dave Lang, Reel Brew, the Joelle Fuller Band, Joel Fafard, Marny Duncan-Cary, Shifty Morgan and Sturgis Trash.

The intent, Shannon said, is to represent "every kind of musical taste, which is what we've tried to do at Ananda."

For example, representing country music is Marny Duncan-Cary, whose album "Reason for Bein'" was named Album of the Year at the recent Saskatchewan Country Music Awards, and Shifty Morgan, once nominated for the CCMA's Group of the Year. Two of their tracks, "It Hasn't Been Me" and "Closer to Blue" made the CanCountry Top 100.

Representing gospel/bluegrass is House of Doc from Manitoba, and Joe Stanton will be handling the roots/folk side of things. Joel Fafard, whose CD "Rocking Horse" was named outstanding instrumental recording at the 2004 WCMAs, plays a mix of blues, bluegrass, country, jazz, Celtic and Classic.

There's even Sturgis Trash, an alternative rock band once named by Maclean's as one of Saskatoon's hottest bands to see, and who have played numerous Saskatchewan festivals.

There will also be children's entertainment with Bob King and Family, who will be performing as well as putting on a songwriting workshop and a parade. Arts and crafts will also be put on for the kids.

Besides the music, there will also be much in the way of visual arts and craftspeople, including wheat weaving, First Nations artwork and a woodworking craft known as "intarsia," created by local artisan Garnet Hall, who also lives near Forget.

There will also be food available and an outdoor beer gardens. All performances will be outdoors as well.

The gate price for the Forget Arts Festival is $25 for adults, $60 for a family (two adults, two children) and $10 for children. Organizers ask that no pets be brought, and ID is required for the beer gardens.

Forget is nine kilometres east of Stoughton and 49 kilometres west of Carlyle.