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Blues and Jazz Festival lineup and schedule announced

May 5, 2022   ·   0 Comments

By Sam Odrowski

The lineup for the Orangeville Blues and Jazz Festival has officially been released and excitement is growing for the event’s return after a two year hiatus.

It’s the 18^th year the festival is being held, running June 3 to 5 in downtown Orangeville, and it will feature over 75 acts, across four stages. There will also be performances at local pubs, restaurants, and on the streets.

Some of the bigger names on this year’s lineup include the legendary Downchild Blues Band, Grammy Award Winner Harrison Kennedy, Maple Blues Winners Blackburn, 2022 Juno Award Nominee Miss Emily, and Juno Jazz Nominee Heather Bambrick.

“There’s been so much excitement and positive feedback on every one of our little sneak peeks at the line up,” said Josh Leitch, president of Orangeville Blues and Jazz Festival.

“We are expecting a record crowd with the amount of enthusiasm that we’ve been able to generate [online].”

Leitch told the Citizen, the lineup is well-rounded and has a good balance of both blues and jazz, that will be sure to wow audiences from June 3 to 5.

“There’s lots of areas of blues and jazz, so we have a huge spectrum on both genres,” he noted.

New to the festival this year is the relocation of the TD Local Stars Stage from the TD Bank parking lot onto Broadway.

“That’s where we will we will be showcasing our local talents and one of the main features there is the Toronto Blues Society Talent Search Winner, Sandra Bouza,” said Leitch.

Other bands and musicians who will join Bouza at the TD Local Stars Stage include Erin McCallum Band, Falcon Jane, Danny Marks, Russell Scott, Coster-Hewus-McGibbon, Heather Katz, the Campfire Poets, Travelling Wannabees, and Soul Collective. 

Leitch told the Citizen, this year’s Blues and Jazz Festival is going to be an incredible weekend of reconnection for the community and he’s excited to see everyone back out again after a long break due to the pandemic.

“I’d encourage folks to come out and enjoy the music, enjoy the food, enjoy getting out with your community, and your friends and your family. Join the community and get reintroduced to live music after a long dry spell,” Leitch enthused. “Support your community, without your participation, we can’t do it. The more people who come out the better.”

Schedule of events

The festival opener – Blues Cruise on Broadway, which is being sponsored by MacMaster Buick GMC, Orangeville Chrysler and Davenports Auto Parts, starts on Friday (June 3) at 5 p.m. on Broadway. It will feature over 300 classic cars and seven bands will be performing, including CJ Lee, Alfie Smith and Nicole Christian, Voodoo Pawnshop and Boomerang.

On Saturday (June 4), in addition to live music, the Orangeville Business Improvement Area will be running its weekly outdoor Farmers Market from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Broadway and Mill Streetwill be closed to vehicle traffic to provide a pedestrian friendly festival environment with over ten bands performing in various outdoor locations on the street.

As well, on Saturday the Heavyweights Brass Band will open the Saturday TD Broadway Stage schedule and lead a New Orleans style Jazz March along Broadway.

The TD Main Stage in Alexandra Park on Friday night will open with Larry Kurtz and the Lawbreakers with special guest Juno and Grammy Award Winner Harrison Kennedy, followed by the Legendary Downchild Blues Band.

On Saturday, the TD Main Stage will feature, The Mackenzie Blues Band, James Anthony Band with Danny B, The Mike Goudreau Band, Diana Braithwaite and Chris Whiteley, multiple Maple Blues Award Winners the Angel Forrest Band and the headliner Blackburn. 

On Sunday, the line-up features Emily Burgess and The Embury’s, Dylan Wickens Band, Harp Attack, the Tony Halliday Band with guests Larry Kurtz, Juno Winner Steve Marriner and Hohner World Champion Harmonica Player Carlos Del Junco and Sunday headliner 2022 Juno Award Nominee Miss Emily. 

The Orangeville Opera House will feature intimate performances on Saturday by Montreal acoustic bluesman Adam Karch, LTZ Band featuring Cheryl Lescom, Rick Taylor & Chuckee Zehr, Rick Fines and Juno Jazz Nominee Heather Bambrick. 

On Sunday, Stan Chang and Charlie Cooley, Carlos Del Junco and The Blues Mongrels, and Latin Jazz by the Laura Fernandez Band.

On Sunday, the Blues and Bikes event, sponsored by Barrie Harley-Davidson, will take place on Broadway and Mill Street hosting hundreds of motorcycle enthusiasts proudly displaying their bikes and enjoying live music.

Throughout the entire weekend there will be live music featured in over twenty clubs, restaurants, and event venues around town as part of the Festival experience. 

Special performer workshops will be presented in the Orangeville Public Library.

Leitch noted his appreciation for all the sponsors and volunteers who help put on the Blues and Jazz Festival each year.

“On behalf of the festival and our thousands of attendees and hundreds of volunteers, we are deeply grateful for the funding and services generously provided to support the festival,” said Leitch.

For more information about the festival, including a detailed schedule of activities and

performers, please visit orangevillebluesandjazz.ca  

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