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Hamilton Spectator
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
Would bigger be better for Canada Day in Niagara Falls?
While praising city officials for organizing an 'amazing' Canada Day celebration, Niagara Falls city councillors mused about creating an even 'bigger' and 'better' event at Firemen's Park. 'A couple of people said we wish we really had one big band at the end of the day or the end of the night to kind of keep people there,' said Coun. Mike Strange during last week's meeting. 'Maybe that's something we can think of. To get a nice big band like The Trews — I think it would keep people there.' Kathy Moldenhauer, the city's general manager of recreation, culture and facilities, said officials would need the support of sponsors for that to happen. 'If anybody has any sponsors who want to help sponsor that big band at the end of the day, we'd love to get that because I know our budget is limited for next year,' she said. 'We do start planning now for next year.' Firemen's Park hosted the city's celebration of Canada's 158th birthday July 1 with live music and entertainment, food, vendors, inflatables, a cake/cupcake giveaway and more. The bandshell stage featured various performances, while the family zone stage included a day of family-friendly entertainment and interactive shows. Coun. Chris Dabrowski said the city should consider turning its Canada Day celebrations into a two-day event. 'We can look at ways of generating revenue to pay for some of those things because the gate numbers draw people and the people draw revenue to the vendors and then the vendors pay to be there,' he said. 'It's really difficult to get a vendor to set up for one day. They come to a one-day event, they try to generate some revenue, but if you have two days, they might pay a little bit more. Having a beer tent or look at ways that we can gate a nighttime concert, I think it's a great idea.' Dabrowski said there are ways to keep the event community oriented but also attract tourists. 'It's great that we do it for our community, but bigger could be better with events and with a large band like The Trews — maybe you could even charge for ticketing on an event like that.' Coun. Victor Pietrangelo brought up carnival rides, similar to years past when the city held its Canada Day celebrations at Optimist Club. 'I know, mayor, you've suggested this already — bring the rides back, have them there on Canada Day, especially if it falls on a weekend, it makes a lot of sense,' he said. 'They're there for three days and then everyone celebrates Canada Day with the rides there — I think that would be a great addition to what we're already doing.' Mayor Jim Diodati said as Niagara Falls' Canada Day celebrations continue to grow, ride companies will take note of the economic benefits that would come from committing to the municipal event. 'I think they're going to make an economic decision, based on bottom line and once they see where we're at … they're going to want to set up their carnival rides and bands are going to want to play where we have a gated, make some money event,' he said. Dabrowski suggested the city consider partnering with community groups such as Ribstock when organizing future Canada Day events. 'A little bit of private, a little bit of public, it takes the burden off a lot of the labour and the staff, and we can partner with a local organization to help benefit some charities — the possibilities are endless,' he said. Coun. Mona Patel suggested finishing the city's Canada Day event with fireworks or a drone show. 'Maybe it becomes our own little celebration.' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Hamilton Spectator
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
Canal Days hits all the right notes with 2025 lineup announcement
This year's Canal Days Marine and Heritage Festival will have an all-Canadian sound with a musical showcase featuring rock icons Sloan, Finger Eleven, The Trews and Big Sugar. The City of Port Colborne has officially unveiled the musical and event lineup for the 47th annual festival, promising a holiday long weekend of free concerts, fireworks, cruises and family fun Aug. 1 to 4. 'This is one of my favourite events each year,' said Mayor Bill Steele during an announcement at Vale Health and Wellness Centre. 'We couldn't have Canal Days without our amazing media partners, sponsors and volunteers.' Kicking off Friday, Aug. 1, at H.H. Knoll Lakeview Park, the main stage will open with HTZ-FM Rocksearch winners Small Town Strip Club, followed by 2024 winners The Feral Minks. Sloan and Big Sugar will headline the evening. On the Saturday, Ottawa's Boston Levi will start the evening by getting the crowd going before Finger Eleven takes the stage playing such hits as 'Paralyzer' and 'One Thing.' The Trews will close out the night with their classic songs, such as 'Not Ready to Go' and 'Highway of Heroes.' A planned rooftop concert for the Sunday was relocated due to logistical hurdles. 'I had to call (U2's) Bono and say, 'Guys, we can't have you on the roof,' Steele joked. 'He said, 'We're not coming.'' Instead, the music will continue on ground level at West and Sugarloaf Street, where U2 tribute band Desire will perform ahead of a 10-piece set by Main Event Music during a fireworks display. Steele addressed some of issues last year's festival encountered when a rowdy crowd eager to enter a free Billy Talent concert forced its way through fencing, saying steps have been taken to improve security. 'This year, we have committed to security upgrades to ensure the festival is a safe place for everyone,' he said. Capacity at H.H. Knoll Lakeview Park has been increased to 15,000, with gates opening at 6 nightly. Entry is not guaranteed to people who show up late, the city said in a press release. It is working with a festival security expert and adjusting the concert layout and entrances to improve crowd flow. A new security team, in co-ordination with emergency management partners, will oversee all safety measures. Additional rules include bag checks, no outside alcohol and a ban on smoking and pets. Lawn chairs are only permitted on Sunday at the West Street stage. Off stage, the festival brings back a suite of attractions. The 61-metre-tall topsail schooner Empire Sandy will offer cruises on Lake Erie and the Welland Canal, with discounted tickets available until June 30. The Kids Zone and Recreation Zone will return to King George Park, sponsored by South Coast Home and Sullivan Mahoney. Festivalgoers can also explore an artisan market, lighthouse tours, an indoor craft show run by the Optimist Club and a classic car show. 'Last year, (the car show) had approximately 900 antique and classic cars,' Steele said. 'All kinds of muscle cars, original 1920s Fords, Chevy Pontiacs, (they're) pretty cool cars so I encourage you to come down.' Port Colborne Historical and Marine Museum, from where Canal Days began in 1979, will host historical demonstrations and performances from Strong Water Singers and Métis Nation of Ontario. 'With each celebration, the event has grown,' said museum director Tami Nail. 'The grounds are filled with so much more marine and heritage fun for the whole family, we have games prizes and food.' The museum will have free admission. New is a Niagara Diecast Toy Show and downhill race at Vale Health and Wellness Centre. The festival will also have a sponsor-exclusive space with refreshments and air conditioning during the Sunday fireworks. GIO Rail, which signed on as presenting sponsor in 2024, renewed its commitment for four more years, alongside a $75,000 donation in sponsorship. 'We are honoured to return as Canal Days' presenting sponsor for 2025 and beyond,' vice-president and chief operating officer Neil Johnson said in a statement. Volunteers are still needed for the festival. Those interested can apply online or contact the city directly. 'We're so lucky to have the best group of volunteers, quite frankly, in the country, if not anywhere in the world,' said Steele. Full festival details and updates can be found at . Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Hamilton Spectator
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.
CTV News
22-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
What's happening on Canada Day?
As Canada Day approaches many communities are preparing to celebrate the day with live music, fireworks and fun. Here are some of the city and municipally sponsored events coming up on July 1. Location: Cowan Park (2958 Greenfield Road) Time: 6 p.m. until 9:30 p.m. Families are invited to Cowan Park on July 1 for an evening full of inflatables, backyard games, food and fireworks. Food trucks will be on site from 6 p.m. until 10 p.m. Meanwhile, Rumble & Friends will be entertaining kids from 6:30 p.m. until 7:15 p.m., followed by alternative country artist Eric Jackson until 7:30 p.m. Headliner Jessie T will be performing from 7:30 p.m. until 9:45 p.m. The night caps off with fireworks at approximately 9:45 p.m. Location: Lions Park Steve Brown Sports Complex (12 Edge Street) Time: 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. The city of Brantford is planning a full day of stage performances, a midway and fireworks. The KidZone Carnival and Midway will open at 11 a.m. Visitors are invited to check out a vendors market, grab some food, and meet Bob the Builder and friends from PAW Patrol. Main stage performers include Jocelyn June & The Bugs, The Dirt Road Travelers, Andrew Irving, Tonewheel, Coty Robinson, and Suzie McNeil & The Chain Reaction. Canadian band The Trews, known for songs like 'So She's Leaving' and 'Highway of Heros', will hit the stage at 8:30 p.m. Fireworks are set to light up the sky at 10 p.m. Location: Riverside Park (49 King St. W.) Time: 7:45 a.m. until 9:45 p.m. Cambridge is getting ready to host what it calls 'the largest Canada Day celebration in Waterloo Region.' The festivities include a fishing derby from 7:45 a.m. until 10 a.m. and an 11 a.m. Canada Day Parade from the corner of King Street and Bishop Street to Eagle Street. The main event at Riverside Park gets underway at noon, featuring live music, an inflatable obstacle course, dunk tank, live wrestling show, hot air balloon rides, vendors and a zip-line ride. A fireworks show will happen at 9:45 p.m. The city is offering a free shuttle service from Cambridge Centre Mall and the Fountain Street Soccer Complex lot. Location: various Time: various Celebrations will be happening at several locations across Centre Wellington. Revelers can start their day at the Elora Volunteer Firefighters Association pancake breakfast from 7 a.m. until 11 a.m. at MacDonald Square. Meanwhile, Big Brothers Big Sisters of CW are hosting a soap box derby at David and Geddes Street in Elora from 8 a.m. until 11 a.m. A parade will march through the street, starting from the Jefferson Elora Community Centre to East Mill Street in Elora at 11 a.m. Donations for the food bank will be collected along the route. If you've worked up an appetite by then, there will be a free hotdog lunch and music by Paul Whitaker at Bissell Park from 12 p.m. until 1 p.m. Then, splash your way over the to the duck race at Bissell Park at 1:30 p.m. Over in Fergus, there will be live music, food trucks, cultural performances and free cake at the Centre Wellington Community Sportsplex at 7 p.m. The night ends with fireworks at 9:30 p.m. Location: Downtown Kitchener Time: 12 p.m. until 11 p.m. Kitchener's Canada Day events have been divided into two parts: the Canada Play kids' zone and a celebration in Carl Zehr Square. The kid's zone will be taking place at the St. Louis-Kitchener Main Campus across from City Hall at 80 Young Street. Families are invited to stop by from noon until 7 p.m. for free fun including rides, games and food. Live music is scheduled for the Canada Day Stage in Carl Zehr Square starting at 4:30 p.m. Performers include Rebekah Stevens, Grace 2 (a Tragically Hip tribute) and Terra Lightfoot. Juno award-winning rock band Sloan hits the stage from 9 p.m. until 10:30 p.m. A pyrotechnics display is set for 10:30 p.m. Guelph Location: Riverside Park (709 Woolwich Street) Time: 3 p.m. until 10 p.m Supercrawl Productions has organized Canada Day celebrations in Guelph. The city put out a request for proposals to find a new organization to host the celebration. Previously, the Rotary Club of Guelph took the lead, but they had to pull out due a lack of financial support and volunteers. This year's free event will be happening at Riverside Park, featuring bouncy castles, music, a beer garden, vendors, a free movie and fireworks. Location: Waterloo Park (100 Westmount Road North) Time: 4 p.m. until 10 p.m. Waterloo is hosting a community picnic on July 1 from 4 p.m. until 10 p.m. at Waterloo Park, near the bandshell. Local musicians will perform throughout the afternoon, while residents are invited to grab something to eat from a food truck and play some giant family-friendly games. An arts market and community organization fair will be happening from 4 p.m. until 9 p.m. A 100-piece LED drone show is expected to take off at 10 p.m.
Hamilton Spectator
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
YASSiN & Sean Terrio Bring Genre-Bending Sound to Sound of Music Festival
From June 12 to 15, 2025, Burlington will be host to the annual Sound of Music (SOM) festival once again. The festival has a long history; it began back in 1980 rather more humbly than its current form, as a marching band parade. Since then, scores of musicians, from big names to local musicians, have graced SOM's stages. On June 15, local artists YASSiN and Sean Terrio will join those ranks, performing on the TD Main Stage at 2:30 p.m. Zack Yassin and Sean Terrio have been releasing music since 2020. They met each other a year earlier by pure coincidence. '[We met at] a local venue in Oakville called the Moonshine Cafe,' Yassin said. 'Sean happened to be singing at an open mic for the very first time, and I happened to be going to see this venue to check out the open mic for the very first time.' 'When I walked in, Sean was singing, and I was like, I have to work with this guy,' Yassin continued. 'Before that, I was writing, producing, and managing a bunch of different artists, whether it was hip-hop artists, country artists, or pop singers. And I finally decided that I wanted to be an artist myself. Then I met Sean, and I had a few songs I knew his voice would sound perfect on, and we started working together.' Terrio said that before taking the stage that night, he had never performed publicly. 'It was really just on a whim,' Terrio said. 'I knew I could kind of sing, and I wanted to at least go to one open mic in my life. I definitely come from a pretty musical family, and I have some musical friends, but ultimately, I was really inexperienced and kind of raw.' Terrio said that he had done 20 years of 'quiet dreaming' before stepping on stage, and that he had to develop the more outgoing side of himself before embarking on this new career. The result of that development, and partnering with Yassin, is a sound that doesn't fit into any one genre. Their sound is soulful and bright, with hints of pop, blues, R&B, and even country. Yassin said that playing SOM for the first time is an exciting prospect. 'I spent my whole life going to the Sound of Music Festival, seeing The Trews, Walk Off the Earth, and so many other artists there,' Yassin said. 'So I'm extremely pumped to be playing it.' The duo put out their debut album Just Try in October of last year. Yassin said the streaming numbers for the album have been a 'slow burn,' but that they have been growing every day. 'We're pretty confident that in time it'll get like the respect that we think it deserves, and people will love it the way we love it, because we really slaved over that thing and worked crazy hard on it,' Yassin said. Yassin hopes that events like SOM will help get the word out about the album even more. The duo operates as independent artists and spoke about the benefits of not being signed to a major label. 'It's like people are more interested in our brand over our music, which we completely understand, we want to be entertainers,' Yassin said. 'But with music labels, a lot of the time we've had the experience of like, 'Okay, we'll sign you, but let's change everything about you,' and we don't like that. And I'm a very hands-on person in every aspect of the business.' Yassin said that to him, a label deal is an easy way out. 'It's just a fast pass to what you hope is something grand,' Yassin said. 'But now that's not even guaranteed with labels. So you might as well build your own team and be your own label.' Terrio said that signing with a label would feel like settling at this point. He also said that there are many skills that he wouldn't have learned had he not been forced to as a result of working independently. As YASSiN and Sean Terrio, the two often post comedic videos to their social media pages, many featuring Terrio performing impressions of public figures and celebrities. Yassin spoke about the genesis of this content. 'We're 31 and 30, we're not TikTok people,' Yassin said. 'But as independent artists, we're like, 'We need to figure this out to market the album.' And as we were trying to figure it out, we saw all these other things that other artists are doing on TikTok, like singing your song in your car and stuff like that, but it wasn't working for us. And we finally just said, 'Let's do something that just makes us laugh.'' 'It felt like we were forced, out of necessity, to get ourselves out there more,' Yassin continued. 'And then we realized, 'Oh, we actually love comedy,' and people seem to like it as well.' Yassin said that he and Terrio have always shared a similar sense of humour, so it was very natural for them to be funny on camera and in front of audiences. 'It's so nice not having to force a different online persona to get views,' Yassin said. 'It's literally just us, which we're grateful for.' Terrio said that his family moved around frequently in his youth, and developed ways to entertain himself in between making friends, one of which was impressions. YASSiN and Sean Terrio will be performing at Mills Hardware in Hamilton on June 6, as well as at the Sound of Music festival on June 15. Click here to find links to their music and social media pages. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
