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Letter: Rock The Farm concert and farmers market have another successful year

100th anniversary of the museum's barn celebrated this year
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The Anderson Farm Museum Heritage Society’s 8th Annual Rock The Farm Free Concert and Farmers’ Market summer series was a huge success, says letter-writer Gwen Doyle. File photo.

The Anderson Farm Museum Heritage Society’s 8th Annual Rock The Farm Free Concert and Farmers’ Market summer series was a huge success, attracting thousands of people from all over the City of Greater Sudbury and from out of town.

On July 6, The Bluez Brotherz and the Notorious Funkmonsters Band once again helped us kick off Rock The Farm and had the crowd up singing and dancing. In celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the Anderson Farm Museum Barn, we served a huge cupcake cake shaped like the barn. It was sponsored by Doyle Dodge.

Every Wednesday, our free concerts rocked the farm and Lively featuring The Tremonics and Pop Machine, Stephanie Fyfe, Tom Fyfe and The Whiskey Rivers Blues Band, Benham, Chicks With Picks, Alain Lessard, D&A (Derek and Alex of Wild Horses), Campana, The Almighty Rhombus and Fiddleworks, plus a youth band showcase with Pop Machine as opening act. 

We really appreciate the support of our talented Rock The Farm artists and the generous, long-term support from our concert sponsors: Sudbury Credit Union, DSI Mining Canada, Walden Welding and Mechanical, Pinehill Lumber, Walden Lions Club, The Morris Group, Rintala Construction and new sponsors, Labrecque Fisher Optometrists.

It was exciting to have young people participate in our first Walden Has Talent Showcase for Youth, featuring talent in the broadest sense. Our 2016 lineup included talented youth from Walden PS, R.H. Murray PS, the Beaver Lake Club, Massey 4-H Club and St. James School, showcasing acting, dancing, gymnastics, public speaking and singing. 

Our Farmers’ Market continued to be a key part of Rock The Farm. Thanks to the Northern Ontario producers, snack food vendors, local artisans, crafters and businesses that participated including: members of Northern Ontario Agri-Food Education and Marketing with fresh, local produce and value-added products again this year; 15 art/craft/business vendors, plus our snack food vendors The Cotton Candy Man, D&M Food Carts, Pork N’ Dogs, Fired-Up Pizza, The Sausage King and Roger’s Fish Fry. 

AFMHS' long-term community partners continue to be invaluable to Rock The Farm, setting up and taking down tents/tables/chairs for our Farmers’ Market area, and helping us wherever possible every Wednesday: Everett Matthew, Walden Lions Club, 1st Waters Venturer Scouts and Trinity United Youth Group. 
Special thanks to our two media sponsors- KICX917 and The Sudbury Star for providing in-kind promotional advertising and support for both our Rock The Farm summer series and our fall fair. 

Thanks to the local media who helped us promote our 2016 ‘Rock The Farm.'

And thanks to everyone who joined us for Rock The Farm at the Anderson Farm Museum. 

Gwen Doyle
CIO AFMHS