Michelle Sweeney and Dawn Tyler-Watson Joins Freddy James for a day of outdoor fun. Launch event on May, 26
Contact Staff
Just to make sure that Montrealers know what was in store for them, Michelle Sweeney and Dawn Tyler-Watson were on hand at the Caribbean Tasty Treat Restaurant in the West Island on Monday, May 9, laying down some musical treats to help set the stage for the 13th annual West Island Blues Fest.
On June 18, at Dollard des Ormeaux Park, in DDO, the two will join fellow headliner Freddy James, who last year had tens of thousands of festival-goers dancing for close to two hours to his infectiously funky sounds. This year, he will be doing a tribute to Prince.
By adding Sweeney and Tyler, two of the city’s most fiery performers to the lineup, organizers are going all out to showcase the festival as one of Montreal’s signature event.
Since it was launched in 2003, this free outdoor festival has been a staging ground to showcase the talent some of this province’s acclaimed musicians as well as an impressive group of up-and-comers.
It has also been a cultural callalloo, bringing together the various ethnic communities in the West Island and beyond to build bridges through music, food and multi-generational camaraderie.
Also, the festival has defined itself by its charitable intents. During the past 12 years, several West Island- based organizations, including the West Island Association for the Intellectually Handicapped, the West Island Women’s Shelter, the West Island Palliative Care Residence, Call of the Wild, the Portage Foundation and the Arthritis West Island Self Help Group have benefitted from the over $100,000, that organizers have donated so far, a big chunk of which went top the West Island Black Community Association.
Beneficiaries this year will be the Alzheimer Groupe (AGI), the West Island Black Community Association and Action Jeunesse de l’Ouest de l’Île (AJOI).
This year’s festival will be launched on Thursday, May 26, 2016. We will be holding a special VIP fundraising indoor concert featuring music by Flirt Blues Band and Joey the Saxman.
The event is in collaboration with Pierrefonds-Roxboro Borough, and will be held at the Pierrefonds Cultural Centre, 13850 Gouin Ouest (between Richmond and Rene Emard). Tickets are: $100 and are available from Errol Johnson at (514) 718-0890 or (514) 620-0554 or the Alzheimer Groupe (AGI) at (514) 485-7233 (tax receipts).
West Island Blues Festival, on Saturday, June 18, from 2:30 pm to 11:15 pm 12000 Boul. De Salaberry, Dollard des Ormeaux H9B 2A7.
Freddie James, who will be doing a tribute to Prince, Dawn Tyler Watson, Michelle Sweeney, Pat Loiselle, and T.C. Band.
Family and friends will enjoy great music, tasty Caribbean food and drinks, hot dogs, hamburgers, soft drinks and beer. https://www.facebook.com/WIBluesFestival.
