Starting Friday, Aspen Crossing in Mossleigh will be filled with music in support of a vital emergency medical organization.

The Fifth Annual Southern Alberta Music Festival kicks off today, with two days of music and entertainment all raising funds for STARS Air Ambulance.

Festival Talent Coordinator, Larry Vannatta, says there will be hundreds of attendees taking in numerous acts.

"This year it looks like the words getting out, and we're getting quite a few tickets sold," he says. "We're really excited about this year, we have 22 acts coming in, a wide range from country, blues, rock, bluegrass, swing, and two stages going on."

Vannatta shares last year the event raised over $10,000 for STARS Air Ambulance, and thousands more over the five years the festival has been running.

"That's the main reason this thing got started, it's a STARS Air Ambulance fundraiser. It's really great to see people come out and support local talent, but also support STARS which is really a great fundamental for people like ourselves, who can be touched by STARS in many ways."

The Southern Alberta Music Festival starts at 7 p.m. tonight, Aug. 11, and begins again on Saturday Aug. 12 at 10 a.m.

Vannatta hopes to see residents from all over the Foothills coming out to support STARS.

"It's a great family event, with all the musicians we got coming, I'd hope people will come out and support local music and STARS, we'd love to have a lot of people out."

Tickets are still available for the festival.

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