Sharon Penner says we'll notice plenty of extra bus traffic in Moose Jaw this week. 

The Chair of the 68th annual Moose Jaw Band & Choral Festival says that a "batch of 3,000" musicians of all ages have descended upon the Friendly City for event, which runs Monday through Thursday (May 15-18).

"Concert bands, as usual, will perform at Peacock Auditorium (and) Mae Wilson Theatre," explained Penner. "For a change this year, smaller concert bands - 30 members and under - will perform at St. Aidan's Church hall.  And, of course, our concert choirs and vocal jazz will be at the Zion Church sanctuary."

Penner, who has chaired the event for several years, says an increase in hotel rooms in Moose Jaw over the last few years has been an extremely positive development for attendees.

"(In the past) anybody that left their accommodations too late, they had to stay in Regina and commute over here. We didn't care for that too much."

Penner says with more festival participants being able to stay in Moose Jaw, it has added to an already impressive economic impact left by the event.

"These four days in May leave over $1-million in town here," Penner gushed. "We've done several surveys over the years as to how and where (festivalgoers) spend their money, and it's over $1-million every time."

For more details on the Band & Choral Festival, click here.