A lineup of high-wattage entertainers — from The Strumbellas to Gord Bamford and Bif Naked to Alan Doyle — will headline at the free 52° North Music and Cultural Festival at the 2019 Canada Winter Games.
With athletes from across the country coming to the games, the idea was to also bring in coast-to-coast entertainers, said Lyn Radford, chair of the 2019 Canada Winter Games Host Society.
“Everyone loved the concept of coming here … and I think we’ve covered all bases” in an “incredible” lineup, she added.
Other featured performers under the Dome — a heated tent that will hold up to 2,000 people currently being set up beside Canada Games Square — are Walk off the Earth, Brett Kissel, Wide Mouth Mason, Trooper, Ashley MacIsaac, Headstones, Busty & the Bass, Frannie Klein, Kim Mitchell, k-os, The Reklaws and Scott Helman.
The Red Deer Symphony Orchestra will also entertain under the Dome as part of the commitment to offer a wide array of music to suit all tastes and ages, said Radford.
Red Deer singers Jamie Woodfin and Ryan Langlois perform as well, and she promised more local acts will be announced over the next few weeks, along with some children’s entertainers. Besides performing in the Dome, these artists will be featured on stages in and around the square, including an covered outdoor venue.
Radford noted the festival features Juno and Canadian Country Music Association award winners and is the first multicultural event to be hosted in central Alberta during winter.
There will be more than 80 Canadian music, theatre and visual artist groups performing over 10 nights on the mainstage and community stage, said Radford. And all the entertainment will be free as “our gift to the community.”
The 52° North Music and Cultural Festival will provide an opportunity to showcase local and provincial talent to visitors from across the nation and for central Albertans to enjoy, she noted.
Plus, the festival site will feature local artisans, food vendors, sponsor booths and a number of activities, such as crokicurl and skating.
Some scheduling details are already on the games website.
