The Kootenay Festival of the Arts returns to Nelson this week with the talents of strings, piano, speech and vocal taking the stage at several venues around the community. Lila McKechnie, 8, is one of the young music students who has been preparing for her festival performance that takes place today. Other performances started on Tuesday and go throughout the week with the Honours Concert taking place at the Capitol Theatre on Saturday starting at 7 p.m. For more information on the festival and a full performance schedule with locations and times head to kootenayfestivalofthearts.ca.