About Us
The Kootenay Burlesque Festival
The Kootenay Burlesque Festival is a lavish & luxurious four day affair that takes place in beautiful Nelson, BC. Our stage features world renowned burlesque artists from across the globe as well as local luminary artists to create two extravagant nights of exotic and enticing entertainment
At the KBF we believe that what we do off stage is equally as important as to what we do on stage so we take great pride in providing educational and social opportunities as part of our festival. We offer educational workshops taught by professional artists that help to preserve, promote and further advance burlesque as an art form in our community. We also offer a variety of social events that are aimed to help performers foster and build relationships both locally and abroad.
Our festival is a four time grant recipient from various BC grant councils and has been recognized as an organization that is committed to supporting and providing artistic growth and transformation through creative expression in the burlesque arts within our community
Our Location
Nelson, BC
The Kootenay Burlesque Festival is proud to call Nelson, BC home. Nestled in the majestic Selkirk Mountains this beautiful lake town has a thriving and vibrant performing arts community and is considered one of the top 10 Charming Towns in Canada to visit.
There are beautiful beaches for sunbathing on, tons of secret swimming spots and Ainsworth Hot Springs is nearby for soaking aching muscles. Come join us for a week end of fun and everything else under the sun at the 2023 Kootenay Burlesque Festival!
The KBF acknowledges that our festival takes place on the unceded territories of the Sinxt, the Ktunaxa and many other indigenous peoples who call this area home. We acknowledge our respect for, and deep gratitude to all the ancestors and keepers of the land on whose unceded traditional territories we are honoured to operate on.
Our Venue
The Capitol Theatre
The Capitol Theatre is the perfect venue to host the 2023 Kootenay Burlesque Festival. This quaint little theatre has a distinct vintage feel to it with it's plush velvet curtains, retro red seats and Romeo & Juliet style balconies. This venue is licensed and offers a small selection of wine & spirits along with handmade artisan chocolates
The Capitol Theatre
421 Victoria St. Nelson, BC
(250)352-6363
our producer/artistic director
Vesper Valentine
Vesper Valentine was born into the showgirl world of Glamour & Glitter in 2015. Part sultry, part sass, this voluptuous vixen has been teasing audiences ever since! No stranger to the stage this travelling showgirl has graced stages at numerous festivals and shows across North America including Denver, Savannah, Ottawa, Winnipeg, Victoria, Virginia, Nelson & Quesnel and has left audiences breathless in her wake.
This seductive show pony is also a powerhouse producer who enjoys fostering and building community by providing paid performance and educational opportunities for artists. She has produced 24 shows over the past seven years and is the producer of the Kootenay Burlesque Festival as well as the Naked Girls Reading Nelson Chapter. Most recently she was selected as a grant recipient as a solo artist for the 2022 Columbia Basin Trust Performing Artists program. Performing everything from the classic bump & grind to neo burlesque this flirty fox's personality is sure to captivate & entice you!
our front of house coordinator
Marloe Blu
Marloe Blu has been bringing his special brand of burlesque to the stage and into the hearts of audience members since 2017. Known for his artistic flair and comedic funny bone, Marloe has performed in a variety of burlesque and drag shows across Canada including the Kootenay Burlesque Festival and the Itty Bitty Burlesque Festival. He is the producer of the Made In the Shade Festival, which is a two day music and performing arts festival that he helped bring to life in 2018. He has also been featured on Shaw cable in a piece called "Becoming Marloe Blu" that was broadcast nationwide, where all of Canada fell in love with him.
We are feeling fortunate to have Marloe as part of the KBF team as our Front of House Coordinator and are looking forward to utilizing all the talents and skill sets that he brings to our team.
Our special events coordinator
LeeLee La Belle
LeeLee has been a fervent part of the Nelson Burlesque community since she first hit the stage back in 2014. She has performed in a variety of shows and festivals across Canada including the Itty Bitty Burlesque Festival, the Made in the Shade Music Festival and the Kootenay Burlesque Festival. In 2019 she took her love of all things nerdy and stepped into a producing role and has brought four fantastic Nerdlesque shows to life here in Nelson . LeeLee is inspired by Burlesque's subversive roots and the body-positive, sex positive, quirky NeoBurlesque movement. Drawing from her lifetime of making art and thinking about social issues, she loves the power of owning her space onstage. For LeeLee, Burlesque provides a container where she is in control of the narrative regarding her sexuality. Her quirky style, attention to detail and continuous creativity make her a perfect fit as our special events coordinator.
our stage manager
Nicole Courson
Nicole is our stage manager extraordiare who keeps things running smoothly behind the scenes. Nicole is an active member in the Nelson Theatre community and has been performing and running productions for many years. Her love of live performance and years of experience makes her a valued member of the KBF team