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Rock legend Kim Mitchell coming to Canora

Canadian icon Kim Mitchell is coming to Canora as the headliner of a long list of performers at the Canora in Bloom music festival on July 14.

Canadian icon Kim Mitchell is coming to Canora as the headliner of a long list of performers at

the Canora in Bloom music festival on July 14.

Instead of travelling to a much larger centre to see Mitchell perform, Canora and area residents now have the opportunity to see him live in Canora’s King George Park, said Aaron Herriges, director of leisure services.

Gates will open at 1 p.m. for a day of music which will include country artists Samara Yung and Brody Siebert as well as rockers League of Wolves and Men Without Shame. Canora’s own Seven Levels, a band which performs a variety of music including rock and country, will also share the stage.

The festival is presented by Canora Leisure Services and Canora Music Society.

“It’s rare to see an artist of Kim Mitchell’s calibre come to a town the size of Canora,” said Herriges.

In the late 70’s and through all of the 80’s Mitchell toured the largest arenas in the country and today continues to perform at festivals, casinos and Performing Arts Theatres nationally, according to information from Mitchell’s website. He is a gifted and peer-respected guitar player as well as an acclaimed songwriter, having penned and recorded classic hits like Go For Soda, Rock N Roll Duty, Patio Lanterns, I am a Wild Party, Easy To Tame andAll We Are, to name just a few; all songs that have become part of the Canadian musical landscape, said the information.

“Kim is part of list of much sought after classic rock musicians that have no problem filling up tour schedules mostly in the bigger centres such as Edmonton, Toronto, Quebec City, Saskatoon and Winnipeg,” said Herriges.

“We are very fortunate to have him agree to come to Canora but it wasn’t easy. There is a lot planning that goes into preparing for an artist like this, but we are confident the public will respond and join in on what we expect to be a special experience, maybe even once in a lifetime for some,” said Herriges.

It took over a month of negotiating until the agreement was in place for Mitchell to perform in Canora. Herriges said one of the deciding factors was that he had previous experience working with Mitchell’s production crew, Capitol Productions.

The idea of hosting a music festival came up during the Canada 150 Festival last year in a conversation between Herriges and Kelly MacTavish, a member of the Canora Music Society.

“We loved the atmosphere of the park with the music and people among the trees and grass, and how it’s sheltered from the wind,” said Herriges.

“After meeting with the music society it was an easy decision to start working on a project, and here we are. We have Kim Mitchell playing in our backyard. Who would have thought!”

Tickets for the event will go on sale May 1 at the Canora town office for $30, which is less than normal for a solo show, where admission can range from 40 to 80 dollars. Festival day passes can be anywhere from 50 to 150 dollars in some locations, said Herriges.

“Not only are we presenting Kim Mitchell but we are complimenting him with a full day of quality acts, and most of them are recording artists. So for $30 dollars you can’t go wrong. If people aren’t familiar with the artists, I would suggest checking them out on the web.”

Tickets numbers will be limited for the event, but Herriges was not prepared to give up the venue.

“We just love the location too much to move it. We think it will be intimate for everyone and we want to keep the demand for tickets high,” he said.

“It’s a pilot project and we do not have a lot data to go by. In an event like this we try to take everything into account like demographic, generational interest, facility, volunteer help, finances, weather, all of it.”

Similar to most music festivals, there will be no refunds, rain or shine, said Herriges.

He suggested it would be a good idea to purchase tickets shortly after they go on sale.

“I’m sure we will sell out and if things go according to plan, tickets won’t be available at the door.”

Canora Leisure Services was adamant about having at least one local band join the performance roster, creating the potential for a meaningful connection between the community and the entertainers.

“The well-known local group Seven Levels are no slouch. There is a reason they keep getting performance requests. They can bring it. They can entertain. They’re really good,” said Herriges.

“I’m really happy that one of our local bands will be able to share the same stage with Kim and get to do it in their hometown. What an opportunity for them.”

Canora in Bloom will start on July 7 this year and end on the July 15. It was moved up a week to accommodate the entertainment bookings and activities during the week. Plans are still being made, but there are a few dates to keep in mind. On July 12, Leisure Services will be hosting a 6- hour youth Laser Tag program that ages 6 and up will enjoy, said Herriges.

Canora Wheatland Lioness will be moving the Old Fashioned Picnic in the Park to July 13 to accommodate the youth event at the Sylvia Fedoruk Centre.

“Everyone has been very accommodating with the changes we have made this year. They get it, we are trying to do something special and they don’t want to get in the way of that,” said Herriges.

The Leisure Services Board is planning a family fun spot on July 7 that could include an outdoor movie and maybe some novelty activities. The reason for planning more youth activities around July 14 is that the music festival will no doubt be more adult-focused.

Minors can buy tickets for the festival but they must attend with their parents or else they will be denied admission, since it is a licensed event.

“We didn’t want to exclude people that want to bring their kids, but we want them to be responsible for them since it’s a licensed event,” said Herriges.

 “Everyone should bring their photo identification because our admission crew will be asking for it”.

“After doing some research on other festivals most of them operate the same way as what we are planning. The majority of the focus is on entertaining and if we can break even or make a little profit, our goal is accomplished. We just want it to be sustainable.”

Herriges said Canora Leisure Services is looking for sponsorship or donations to this project as it will be a great opportunity to advertise for any business looking to get some valuable exposure.

“We are looking for funds, supplies, food, volunteer services and help. You can contact the Leisure Services Office for any questions about sponsorship.”

Those interested in the Canora Music Festival are encouraged to check out their social media pages or the town event calendar at canora.com for regular updates.