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The Lucknow Kinsmen have a lot of work to do over the next
few months, but they are fully prepared to make the first
Lucknow Music Festival a success.
Club members, Ken Irwin and Rick McMurray, spoke to Huron-Kinloss
council January 19 about plans for the event and requested the
township's support to kick off the festival.
Slated for Aug. 22, the event will feature six bands, with music
beginning at noon and running until midnight, said Irwin. The
proposed site is the soccer complex, with Havelock Street closed
from the Rona Building Centre to the South Kinloss Church.
Tickets would be sold through Ticketmaster.
"We're hoping to attract more than 6,000 people," said Irwin.
"We've hired a producer, David Rapelje of TWR Productions. He
has experience in outdoor festivals throughout Ontario."
The club will seek sponsorship from large corporations,
including beer companies, and is pursuing grants through the
Ontario tourism ministry and the Ontario Cultural Attractions
Fund, said McMurray. It will also turn to other service groups
because the event will require about 500 volunteers to make it a
success.
"The major benefits," said Irwin, "are that the festival profits
will be used for local projects, the big-name entertainment
being brought in is usually seen only in the city, this event
will put Huron-Kinloss on the map by showcasing the community
and it will boost the economy in this area."
Irwin said there will be no parking on the site, with parking
lots in nearby fields and the people bussed to the festival. As
for the music, "We're looking at four 'name' bands and two
smaller bands," said McMurray.
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27/01/2009 11:03 PM
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"The price of bands is phenomenal, but we need to get
our foot in the door with this new event. Once we get the line-up, it's
important to get the marketing campaign under way."
Possible bands include the Tragically Hip, CCR
Revisited, Great Big Sea, Blue Rodeo, Bonnie Raitt, Terri Clark,
Roadhammers, Johny Ried, L Skynard and Jason Blaine.
McMurray said the Kinsmen are not looking for funding from council, just
some help to kick off the festival. The club can take it from there, he
said. "If we break-even the first year, then we'll have done a good
job," he said. "If we make a profit, that would be great. With your
support and that of the Kinsmen Club, we will make this event happen."
He said the club has 'healthy' resources but needs about $120,000 to
bank-roll the event over the first couple of months until money from
ticket sales starts coming in. Tickets are to go on sale next month.
"The risk to council is very low," said McMurray. "The Kinsmen have been
saving for this festival for almost four years."
Council gave its support to the event and agreed to help get it off the
ground. "This is a bold move by the Kinsmen Club," said councillor Jim
Hanna. "I say, 'Go for it.'"
McMurray said Thursday (Jan. 22) that the club voted 86 per cent in
favour of hosting the festival. "We had an excellent turn-out last night
(Jan. 21) with lots of positive support," he said.
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