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“We made the only possible decision given the forecasts and information we had at the time” says Troy Greencorn, artistic director for the festival, “it’s just foolhardy to invite thousands of campers and festival goers into a hurricane in a town perched on the edge of the continent. The decision was validated when performance tents already standing on the site were damaged on take-down and winds reached upwards of 80km/h. At times on Saturday (July 5) over 100,000 homes were without power in N.S. alone.”
“Hurricane Arthur was a major financial setback for us” says Greencorn, “after 17 editions of the festival, it doesn’t mean the end, but it presents a major challenge to overcome. The event is just too important to the East Coast Music industry, Nova Scotia, and Guysborough County in particular. It brings millions in annual economic impact.”
The festival has received tremendous support from donors, sponsors, suppliers and audience members powering a crowd funding campaign now nearing $30,000. The “Rise Again” concert is the signature fundraiser in the efforts by the festival to quickly get back on track and start to build for a bigger and better 2015 event.
Artists who have signed on to date for the August 20th concert at Halifax Metro Centre include:
Carl Bond
Catherine MacLellan
Dave Gunning
J.P. Cormier
Joel Plaskett
Laura Smith
Matt Andersen
Molly Thomason
Rhapsody Quintet
The Stanfields
Stephen Fearing
Thom Swift
“Besides the fiscal hit, the festival robbed our loyal audience and many newcomers of an important summer experience” adds Greencorn, “many of our patrons have expressed that their year just isn’t the same without Stanfest, and the opportunities to see friends and discover new music that it affords. We have set out to create a mini-festival within the Metro Centre. Stanfest is all about the songs and the songwriters and this show will capture that uniqueness. Favourite elements of the weekend like “Singing Stan”, the unique groupings of musicians, campground jams and a diverse mix of musical styles and genres will be featured in the show. This isn’t a funeral for 2014, but rather a rally for 2015.”
Tickets are $ 42.50 (Tax Included). A ticketing fee is additional. Tickets are available on line at www.ticketatlantic.com , Ticket Atlantic Box Office, participating Atlantic Superstores, charge by phone at 451-1221 and toll free at 1-877-451-1221. Service charges apply.
Media Contact:
Lynn Horne- Lynn Horne Marketing & Media Relations
902-465-3763- lynnhorne@ns.sympatico.ca