The Northern Lights Festival Boreal in Sudbury turns 35 this year. Since the inaugural festival in August of 1971, which was held on a single stage on the shores of Lake Ramsey, Northern Lights has become one of the summer's most anticipated events.
The music ranges from roots and traditional to jazz, blues, reggae, and world.
Many of the artists you'll see at this year's festival have
been influenced by the work of Stan Rogers, one of Canada's
most celebrated folk singers.
Rogers performed at Northern Lights in 1976, and wrote Barret's Privateers while he was here. Legend has it that Rogers spent a night singing British sea shanties with the Friends of Fiddlers Green. He couldn't lead one, though, because he didn't know any. So he left and returned 20 minutes later with Barrett's Privateers.
The song went on to become a modern classic, and a proud part of Northern Lights' history.Rogers died in a fire on Air Canada flight 797 at the Cincinnati, Ohio airport June 2, 1983. He was returning from a folk festival in Kerrville, Texas.
Stan's son Nathan will be performing at this year's festival, and participating in a workshop with other musicians called Under the Influence of Stan.
The Northern Lights Festival Boreal will take place July 7, 8 and 9. Tickets are online at www.nlfbsudbury.ca, in the NLFB office at 109 Elm St. and at the following outlets: Black Cat Too, Records on Wheels, Jett Landry Music Ltd., Walden Home Hardware, Gloria's Restaurant and A&J Home Hardware. Prices are $16 for the Friday night, $22 for Saturday and $27 for Sunday. A weekend pass is $54 or $45 for members. Children under ten are free.
For more information contact the Northern Lights Festival Boreal office at (705)674-5512, or visit www.nlfbsudbury.ca.
