By Meaghan Darlow
The West Island Blues Festival wrapped up its trio of 2023 events with a free outdoor concert on Saturday, September 9 in Pointe-Claire Village. The crowd was treated to the sounds of The Contractors, Old Soul Band, Uprising Reggae Band, Justin Saladino and The Stone Doctors.
What started as a small fundraising concert under a tent at Dollard-des-Ormeaux Park in the summer of 2003 has grown to be a summer calendar staple for countless West Islanders and music lovers from across the city.
Co-founded by D.D.O. city councillor Errol Johnson and Pierrefonds-Roxboro borough mayor Jim Beis, the Blues Festival began as a way to raise money for the West Island Black Community Association. In the years since its humble beginnings, it has raised over $300,000 not only for WIBCA, but many other deserving local non-profits such as the West Island Association for the Intellectually Handicapped, the West Island Women’s Shelter, Literacy Unlimited, Alzheimer Groupe Inc, AJOI, Centre Bienvenue, the West Island Palliative Care and Portage.
Over the years, the festival has blossomed beyond the initial free outdoor event in D.D.O., and now includes a springtime indoor VIP night in Pierrefonds, along with September’s free outdoor shows in Pointe-Claire.
There have been challenges along the way, but not even the COVID-19 pandemic could stop the festival organizers. With online shows streamed on YouTube, and, once permitted, a few small-scale socially-distanced pop-up shows that were well-attended, the annual event still raised money and community spirits alike.
The festival is currently looking at partnering with other West Island cities, such as Dorval, for future concerts – and I’m excited to see the festival expand even more than it has so far.
Full disclosure: I’ve been good friends with Errol Johnson’s daughter, Maya, since high school – so I’ve had the great pleasure of watching the Blues Fest grow exponentially since Day One.
I remember those early days of being tasked with delivering stacks of Blues Fest flyers door-to-door with my bike on my way home from their house, selling raffle tickets and working at the beer tent. Now, I’m a mother of two who brings her family to the event, amazed at the how much the crowds have grown.
From that little operation out of Maya’s dad’s upstairs home office, the festival has expanded to corporate sponsorship, an executive committee of 13 members, countless volunteers, professional sound crews, barricaded streets and local media coverage.
I love getting to sit there every year and see the incredible event it has become. It is impressive not only because of the amazing local bands showcased and the joy it brings to the spectators, but also because of the awareness the festival has brought to so many worthy West Island causes and the massive amount of money collected and donated in the process.
This year, the co-founders were recognized with the Quebec National Assembly Award of Merit, presented by the Liberal MNA for Robert-Baldwin, Brigitte Garceau.
I’m so proud to see how the West Island Blues Festival has flourished year after year. What Errol Johnson and Jim Beis have done with this event, with the support of their team and our beautiful West Island community behind them, is truly inspiring. A huge congratulations and standing ovation to you on twenty amazing years of the West Island Blues Festival! Thank you for all the work you have done to make this happen.
And to anyone who may have missed out on this event in the past, I urge you to come out next year. It just isn’t summer without the Blues Fest! With a hot Jamaican patty and a cold beer in hand, the sweet sound of blues filling the night air, you won’t be disappointed!
It’s a great time for an even greater cause.
