Harvest Media Center
Harvest Announces Free Stage Performances
September 8, 2008
Looking to bring the whole family out to the Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival without spending the kids' lunch money? Look no further than the Festival's four free stages.
Some of the Festival's top international headline performers are presented on the free stages, which is the reason organizers hold back the names until the week of the Festival.
Today, Festival organizers announced a rich line up of free Festival events, including performances by acoustic blues master Eric Bibb from New York, Britain's Sarah Jane Morris and Dominic Miller, New Orleans' Bonerama, Nick Moss and the Flip Tops from Chicago and France's Nano in a special collaboration with Fredericton-native Tim Rideout.
"As Harvest grows into an international-class event, our organizing committee is completely committed to ensuring the Festival is accessible to each and every person in our community, regardless of their ability to purchase a ticket," says Festival Chair Patti Graham.
More than 30 percent of the Festival’s shows are free.
In fact, the Festival is expanding its free stage programming this year, with a return to the Tannery with the new PQA Electric Tannery Stage, the addition of a lunch time show on Wednesday at King's Place and an earlier start on Friday afternoon in the Historic Garrison District to accommodate out of town visitors.
"There's really nothing like watching a great act in Officers' Square. You've got great music from around the world, an amazing historic backdrop and a strong sense of community. In many ways, it's an experience at the very heart of the Festival," says Graham.
In addition to the Daily Gleaner Stage in Officers' Square in the Historic Garrison District and the PQA Electric Tannery Stage, there's the JDI Acoustic Stage on Queen Street and the popular King's Place lunch hour series.
Free programming kicks off Wednesday at lunch at King's Place, while the Free Kick Off show will take place in the Aliant Mojo Tent at 7 p.m. with the CBC Galaxie Rising Star winners, Telfer, and Africa expat, Oumou Soumaré, known as "Gazelle of the Mali Desert."
The Daily Gleaner Stage in Officers' Square will kick off Friday at 2 p.m. with performances by Chris Kirby, the Matt Thauvette Quintet, Hey Rosetta!, and Nick Moss and the Flip Tops.
On Saturday in the Square, it's the Congo Square family experience beginning at 11 a.m. with Eric Fresia and the Offsprings, T.J. Wheeler, Bonerama, the Saddle River Stringband and Treasa Levasseur.
The Festival wraps up on Sunday in Officers' Square at 1p.m. with ECMA-winner Thom Swift, Britain's Sarah Jane Morris and Dominic Miller and concluding with New York's Eric Bibb.
The King's Place lunch time series runs Wednesday to Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. On Wednesday, locals Joel LeBlanc and Silvio Pupo start, followed by Steve Marriner. On Thursday, it's Paris-based Nano and Chris Kirby. Friday's performances include the Rémi-Jean LeBlanc Ensemble and Doc MacLean and Michael Pickett.
The JDI Acoustic Stage on Queen Street will run Thursday to Saturday from 6:30 p.m. to approximately 10 p.m. On Thursday, it's Ryan LeBlanc, Nano, and the duo of Doc MacLean and Michael Pickett. Friday features Nano, Eric Fresia and Heckmann and Downes.
Saturday's offerings on the JDI Acoustic Stage include Nano, Eric Fresia and the Offsprings, Steve Marriner and wrap up with the Saddle River Stringband.
The new PQA Electric Tannery Stage showcases New Brunswick artists at 7 p.m., Thursday through Saturday. On Thursday, it's Tore Down, Telfer and The Echo Hunters. On Friday, Theresa Malenfant opens, followed by the Tallest Band on Earth, and closes with a special show by France's Nano in collaboration with Fredericton-native Tim Rideout, aka Mister Rider. On Saturday, Andy Brown will kick things off, the Tallest Band on Earth is back for another set and again, the evening ends in a reprise of the collaboration between Nano and Mister Rider. This last collaboration will be a unique mix of electronica and improvised music each night and is made possible with the financial support of Caisses populaires acadiennes.
