BY
BILL BRADLEY
The buzz is on! Another sell-out music extravaganza is coming
to Greater Sudbury.
Fun musical festival times at Bell Park are fast approaching
July 4-6 courtesy of the 200 volunteers, staff and board
members of one of Canada's longest running music festivals.
After successfully selling many weekend passes on-line and at
outlets around the city, Northern Lights Festival Boreal is now
selling evening passes as well.
Daytime tickets are available only at the gate for $10 and are
valid only from 11 am to 5 pm for the day when purchased.
Weekend passes are still only $60. Friday night passes are $20,
valid from 6 pm to midnight. Saturday and Sunday night passes
are $35 and include a full day and evening of entertainment
from 11 am to midnight, access to fine food vendors, crafts
vendors, a children's and environment area plus much more.
Children 14-and-under are free (maximum three children
accompanied by a ticket bearing adult), but all others pay the
regular price.
"With 35 more incredible folk, indie rock, traditional,
bluegrass and world music artists on the roster, the organizers
of the 2008 NLFB feel this is the strongest festival yet.
Greenville, the environmental themed area is back, this time
located by the children's area. Buy passes now to avoid being
disappointed at the gate," said Paul Loewenberg, chair of NLFB.
Tickets can be purchased by going to
www.nlfbsudbury.com
for the link to tix.com, appearing at the NLFB office at 19
Grey Street located beside the Townehouse Tavern and across
from the arena (674-5512) or at ticket outlets. This year you
can buy tickets at Mimi & Lulu in the Val Est Mall,
Gloria's Convenience and A&J Home Hardware, 469 Bouchard
Street, Records on Wheels, 40 Elm Street and Black Cat, 96
Durham Street, Jett Landry Music, 1119 LaSalle Blvd., and
Walden Home Hardware, 130 Regional Road 24, Lively.
This year, the festival is going green by encouraging
festival-goers to pay $2 for an attractive plastic reusable
beer mug with the NLFB logo on it. This could dramatically cut
down on disposable plastic cups that have to go to the
landfill, said Sandra Harris, festival director.
Headliners include:
- The Sadies on Friday night. This Toronto foursome have
managed to combine 1960s country rock and psychedelia, country
and western, surf, punk and cosmic American music, combining it
into their own unique sound.
- Daniel Belanger on Saturday night. This Quebec
superstar is the talk of the francophone community
everywhere in Greater Sudbury and all over northeastern
Ontario. He is considered one of the best Québécois
singer/songwriters to emerge in the past 15 years. His
music is eclectic, inspired by alternative rock, folk and
electronic music, sometimes humorous, sometimes wistful.
- Don McLean on Sunday night. Don McLean will be the
performance most people will remember this Northern Lights
Festival along with Quebec superstar Daniel Bélanger. McLean is
known internationally for his hit song American Pie. The
song was voted the fifth greatest song of the 20th century by
fans in the United States. He followed it with Vincent (Starry
Starry Night), And I Love her So, and Crying. McLean has
released more than 40 gold and platinum albums worldwide.
- Sharon and Bram on weekend afternoons 2:15 Sat and 1:30
Sunday on the family stage. After 22 years as Canada's
most famous children's entertainers, Sharon Hampson and Bram
Morrison appear at NLFB this year.
