24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
The Trews, Sister Sledge, Sugarhill Gang, Brett Kissel headline 49th annual Festival of Friends
The Festival of Friends isn't so much turning 50 next year as feeling forever young this year, its 49th, and on into the future.
Forty-nine, 50 — the fun is just starting.
Since 2017, Rob Rakoczy, as general manager, has been bringing up the baby, the late Bill Powell's 1976 love child of music and arts. And he and his team are keeping the treasured Hamilton summer celebration fresh, with lively mixtures of genre, generation and genuine musical gems.
'It's the 49th for the festival this year, and we're excited about our lineup and the plans for this year, which are going to lead us on into our first half century and a huge anniversary next year,' says Rakoczy.
It's going to go like this — The Trews, the inimitable Hamilton-based rockers with multiple Juno nominations and a big following, are headlining on the Friday night (Aug. 1 at 9:30 p.m.), capping off an opening day with the musical tuning set at indie/rock.
Saturday night sees a massive hip-hop/soul lineup with an appearance by no less an act than the historic Sugarhill Gang of 'Rapper's Delight' fame — the first rap single to become a Top 40 hit on Billboard.
They're coming to the stage to 'hip hop, the hippie to the hop and you don't stop the rockin' to the bang-bang boogie, say up jump the boogie to the rhythm of the boogie, the beat.'
'It's a big coup for us to get them' Rakoczy says of The Sugarhill Gang. 'We're very excited about it.'
When
Friday, Aug. 1 to Sunday, Aug. 3
Where
Gage Park, 1000 Main St. East, Hamilton
Who
Performers include The Trews, Sister Sledge, The Sugarhill Gang, Brett Kissel, Peter Elkas Band, Dan Mangan, Honey Luck, The Wild High, Tep No, Chris Chambers Band, Alfie Smith, Florin Clonta, Max Paxton & The Pintos, Blood Roses, and Banned From Heaven.
There will also be a kids stage, midway, pony rides, arts and crafts demonstrations, and more than 125 vendors.
Tickets
As always, admission is free. For more see
The Sugarhill Gang will be joined by Melle Mel and Scorpio of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five.
But that's not even the biggest news yet.
The headliner of headliners, on Saturday's main stage at 9:30 p.m. Is — wait for it, as they say — ready? — Sister Sledge. The Festival of Friends and … Fam-i-ly, as in 'We Are Family.'
'It's part of a whole idea we have,' says Rakoczy, 'of bringing to the people, to Festival of Friends, iconic songs and the artists who did them. We had the B-52s doing 'Love Shack' a few years ago, and also people like Eric Burdon, Don MacLean ('American Pie') and The Village People.'
Sister Sledge's 'We Are Family' is certainly one of those songs.
And not to be outdone, Sunday night brings what is probably equally good news for those with an ear under their cowboy hats for country music. Brett Kissel, one of Canada's biggest country music stars, will close out the festival at 9:30 p.m. on the main stage on Sunday, Aug. 3.
Kissel says Rakoczy is the biggest country star the festival has hosted since Tanya Tucker, winner and nominee of several Juno and Canadian Country Music Association awards
'People are very excited about Brett Kissel coming,' says Rakoczy. 'I know a couple who always miss the Sunday because it's their daughter's birthday, but this year they're coming just for Brett Kissel.'
Presumably, they'll bring their daughter along. Why not? The festival is not to be missed.
And there are many other great acts on the main stage beyond the headliners. It all starts on Friday at 6 p.m. with the Peter Elkas Band, kicking off the indie/rock portion of the weekend.
They will be followed at 7:30 p.m. on the Friday by two-time Juno winner Dan Mangan. Mangan's indie, folk alt-rock and experimental music has won widespread acclaim over more than two decades.
'They (Peter Elkas Band and Dan Mangan) are the perfect fit' for a night that culminates with The Trews, says Rakoczy.
'(The Trews) headlined in 2019 (at Festival of Friends) and people loved it. The Trews have that effect — such an unstoppable train ride of energetic sound and variety.'
On the Saturday, opening acts include Tep No, a Hamilton DJ/electronic artist who has appeared on Ryan Seacrest's radio show and who has millions of streams.
On Sunday, Country Day, The Wild High (a new band from former Monster Truck lead singer Jon Harvey) will come on at 6:30 p.m., and will be followed at 8 p.m., before Kissel, by Honey Luck from Austin, Texas, back by popular demand after last year's smash show at the festival.
One of Honey Luck's lead singers, says Rakoczy, was a contestant on 'The Voice' and ended up on Blake Shelton's team. The band just recorded with Christ Stapleton's people.
