SUDBURY, ON – Another successful year of Northern Lights Festival Boréal has come and gone! If you were lucky enough to catch the action over the weekend of July 5-7, you’ll know the 42nd addition of NLFB was no exception in the tradition of amazing music, inspiring art and an overall good time for the whole family.
Friday’s headliner Buck 65 gave a great performance with lots of Canadian hip-hop flavour. Montreal artists, Socalled stood out with a surprising blend of klezmer, funk and hip-hop coupled with a wildly entertaining stage presence. The Good Family gave Saturday afternoon a ‘down-home’ country feel, as the daytime headliner. Saturday evening the Good Brothers joined us again with a rousing performance opening for Kathleen Edwards who showcased her thoughtful songwriting and musicianship. Despite a surprise break in the weather Sunday evening, Serena Ryder brought down the house, closing out the weekend with a great crowd of festival diehards.
Festival attendance was down slightly from 2012, due primarily to high heat and a brief, but intense spot of rain. Although NLFB staff is currently undertaking the task of 'crunching the numbers', early analysis shows that although overall numbers were down slightly, the event still had a very healthy attendance level and the organization remains in a positive financial position. NLFB looks forward to carrying this energy through the rest of the year, as NLFB plans to engage in more concerts, events and educational programming.
What would a festival be without good food and local crafters? As always NLFB offered a variety of both. With a diverse selection of food vendors, there was plenty to choose from including new, fresh and diverse options. Artisan vendors were on site as well with a variety of products from hand-made moccasins, wood crafts and an eclectic assortment of accessories.
As is tradition, NLFB presents annual awards to major contributors to the organization and the arts community. The Jackie Washington Award is granted to an individual who has contributed significantly as an artist/promoter of the arts and explifies the spirit of the festival; this year’s recipient was Richard Mende. From his days with Humphrey & The Dumptrucks to his current group TubaBoy, Mende has been involved in the festival as an artist for many years. The Bernie Melanson Award is awarded based on exceptional volunteerism; this year’s recipient was Andy McClellan, who has been a dedicated volunteer for years, right up to his present role as site patrol coordinator. NLFB also had the privilege to grant a Life Time Achievement Award; a special award, not given out every year. This award was presented to Vickie McGauley for her continued support of the organization, the arts, and the larger community. McGauley has had a variety of roles with the festival, including: Artistic Director, coordinator of the ‘Music in the Schools’ program, as well as an exceptional volunteer.
NLFB would like to take the opportunity to thank all volunteers for all their hard work. The organization expresses appreciation for their effort and dedication to make the festival run smoothly. Taking on tasks ranging from ‘green team’ to ‘artist hospitality’ NLFB volunteers truly are the heart of the festival. “Our returning volunteers are people we look forward to reuniting with every year,” says Executive Director Max Merrifield, “they work extremely hard, and for this we are truly grateful.”
“Also, we could not put on this treasured event without the support of local businesses, who pitch in every year to make it happen,” adds Merrifield, “Our sincerest ‘thank-you’ to all of our sponsors.”
The 2014 festival is set for July 4, 5, 6, 2014. Earlybird passes will go on-sale during the Christmas season, so stay tuned to make sure you don’t miss out on some great deals. To keep up to date on all things NLFB throughout the year visit www.nlfbsudbury.com, as well as Facebook or Twitter (@nlfb_festival). Become a member for advance information and insider access throughout the year. Contact the office at 705-674-5512 or email at nlfboffice@gmail.com for more information.
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