Editor’s Note: Happy Tuesday! This morning we have Bobby Herron on site giving us the low-down on where to check out all the music greatness in this Valley of ours. Here he is:

Many people around this time are inspired to organize neat little lists that express their opinion of what was good and what was influential about the past year. I don’t generally read these lists. That said, here are some of the best things and one worst thing about the previous year, in my opinion:

- Best Meal- Latin food at Meg’s Dad’s organic farm in Cawston.
- Best Viewing Experience- Battlestar Galactica on our couch.
- Worst local thing that made the news – Three young fellows trying to beat up another darker skinned fellow on the street.
- Best local thing that made the news – The community rally in response to the previously listed incident.
- Best Musical Experience- The main stage collaboration at MusicFest.
- Best Swimming Spot – Still Trent River (please keep this quiet).
- Best Donuts – Still found in Cumberland.
- Best Musical – I’ll admit – the only one I saw was Fiddler On The Roof, so for me that was the best.
- Not The Worst Movie Of The Year – Avatar.
- Best Thing About Living In The Comox Valley – The culture (next week it may be the climate).
- Favorite New Word – Unlike (A social networking site has come up with an unlike option in case you change your mind about liking something).

I’ve been thinking about making a list of ten local places to take the family for a musical experience. Our community is undulating with local music. Our enthusiasm for music from here and other places and other cultures seems to be boundless. How fortunate for all of us.

My list of musical venues, places and events isn’t in any particular order.

- Vancouver Island MusicFest – Known as one of the best outdoor music festivals on the continent, this event is well worth the ticket price and the potential parking challenges. Magical moments are effortlessly produced here.

- The Big Time Out – You can’t beat the setting. The historic village of Cumberland hosts this annual music festival. The programming is adventurous and the over all production is full of creativity and positive energy.

- The Filberg Festival – The location of this festival is spectacular. Shop for crafts in the fresh ocean air, then sit on the grass while listening to world class folk, world and other genres.

- Joe’s Garage – This is a kid friendly venue right in downtown Courtenay that’s presenting a variety of local and imported musical acts.

- The Grotto – Another downtown Courtenay venue where you can enjoy some tappas and catch the Valley’s finest musicians on the small stage.

- Comox Valley Farmers’ Market – What a terrific setting for a music listening experience. All kinds of local acts perform amidst the fresh produce and hand crafted products.

- The Hornby Festival – One of the top five cultural happenings in British Columbia,according to Mcleans Magazine. This festival on laid back Hornby Island has got music, dance, spoken word and more.

- Winter Solstice Party (Cumberland) - An annual extravaganza of music, dance, lights and decoration at the Cumberland Recreation Institute.

- Local Colours- The Comox Valley Community Arts Council presents this festival of arts and music in downtown Courtenay annually. You can wander down to Simms park, sit on the grass and listen to all kinds of music from salsa to jazz. There are other smaller stages throughout the town.

- Canada Day in Lewis Park - Another excellent outdoor venue. It’s a high spirited, colorful celebration behind the Courtenay Recreation building.

I’m no authority on the best and worst our culture has to offer - we all know what we like.

This year I’d like to encourage young people to explore music without pressuring them to feel competitive. As artists, we’re becoming more and more empowered to produce and market our own product. Just check out Helen Austin’s site. Good on her.

This was an extraordinary year for music in the Valley. It will be even better this year – this is the kind of community we live in.