Press Releases

See Award Winners and Top Canadian Talent For Free!

May 6th, 2008

Burlington, Ontario (May 6, 2008) Organizers of Burlington's Sound of Music Festival are making sure that a wide range of superb talent is performing on five stages and at Downtown Streetfest during one of Ontario's largest free music festivals, held from June 12-15, 2008.

Opening night on Thursday will rock with Hamilton's own TOMI SWICK (www.tomiswickmusic.com). Tomi won the 2007 Juno Award for Best New Artist in 2007 and will be following opening acts, The Killin' Time Band and Burlington's The Saint Alvia Cartel.

Thursday evening will also include the second annual Movie Night at the west end of Spencer Smith Park near the OLG Stage. Shown on an 25' inflatable screen, this year's presentation will be 2007's "Hairspray", an energetic, wholly entertaining musical romp whose contagious songs will make you want to get up and start dancing.

Burlington Hyundai Community Stage will host an Open Jam Session on Friday night, while rock icon KIM MITCHELL, crooner MATT DUSK, and Latin-jazz guitarist ROBERT MICHAELS also appear.

On Saturday afternoon, East Coast music fans will be charmed by the stirring ballads, powerful shanties and rib-rattling jigs and reels of SHANNEYGANOCK
(www.shanneyganock.com) on the Cogeco Stage. The bluesy, soulful voice ofSERENA RYDER (www.serenaryder.com), 2008 Juno Award Winner for Best New Artist, will entertain crowds, while Burlington's own full-throated rock quintet, SILVERSTEIN (www.silversteinmusic.com) will bring the house down on the OLG Stage. Add the Independent Music Showcase at the Burlington Hyundai Community Stage and all of the activities and performances at the Family Zone and this is an afternoon that truly provides something for everyone!

Country music fans will be treated to performances by The John Henrys, upand- comer Jason Blain (www.jasonblaine.ca) and Festival favourite GEORGE FOX (www.georgefox.com) on Saturday evening at OLG Stage.

Saturday evening, the Bell Canada Stage showcases Canadian alternative singer-songwriter, HAWKSLEY WORKMAN (www.hawksleyworkman.com) and Canada's incomparable vocal-jazz jewel and 2008 National Jazz Award Female Vocalist of the Year, EMILIE-CLAIRE BARLOW (www.emilieclairebarlow.com) will be featured on the Cogeco Stage.

For Father's Day, be sure to bring Dad to the park for a fun-filled day. Burlington Hyundai Community Stage will feature the winners of Youthfest's Battle of the Bands. Musical comedy trio, THE ARROGANT WORMS (www.arrogantworms. ca) celebrate their triumphant return to the Festival, while new musical trio GRADY (www.shadygrady.net), featuring Gordie Johnson formerly of Big Sugar, will perform their mix of punk, metal and gospel music. Our Bell Canada Stage performer, a Canadian music icon, will remain a MYSTERY until June 1, when we will make the announcement. All we can say for now is this is a performance you will not want to miss!!

Over four days, artists will perform on five stages throughout Burlington's spectacular downtown and waterfront, as well as at street level among outdoor
patios, vendor marketplaces and dance demonstrations at the Downtown Streetfest. Each year, the festival presents the Grande Festival Parade on Saturday morning, one of only a few existing marching band parades remaining in Canada, featuring over 20 marching bands.

Thursday, June 12 - Sunday, June 15, 2008 will mark the Festival's 29th year of bringing "Four Fabulous Days of Music" to Spencer Smith Park, the city's beautiful waterfront park and downtown core. Through the generosity and support of sponsors and the dedication of over 400 volunteers, the event continues to be a FREE event for music lovers of all ages welcoming an estimated 190,000 visitors during 2007. For more information on this year's musical talent line up, bios and performance schedules or Festival information visit www.soundofmusic.ca or call the Festival Hotline 905-333-6364.

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Contact: Linda Goodrow, Communications Director
Phone: 905-580-4742 or email: linda@affirmative.com
OR Dave Miller, Executive Director
Phone: 905-333-6364 or email: executivedirector@soundofmusic.ca