Entering its fifth year, Sackville’s wildly-popular independent music festival will once again take over the streets and local venues on the last weekend of July.
From July 30-Aug. 1, the town will be abuzz with the sound of music and joyful expression as our little community plays host to one of the Maritime’s best little music festivals known as Sappyfest. Having sold close to 1,000 tickets last year, organizers hope to reach the 1,500 mark in 2010.
Joni Fleck Andrews is the Sappy summer intern and she is in the midst of the final planning stages of this year’s festival and said things seem to be going well.
Sitting calm and cool in Thunder & Lightening Ltd., Joni described her progress: “Things are happening,” she said, “and we’re delegating duties more this year.” This is something she said has taken the pressure of organizing off just two or three people.
The festival is expanding this time around with a bigger mainstage tent planned for Bridge Street and new venues featured, including the civic centre, the gazebo in the bandstand park and the Legion on Lorne Street. The usual venues such as the United Church, Vogue Cinema and Uncle Larry’s will also host shows over the course of the weekend.
The alternative entertainment selection at Sappy 2010 will include ‘Innovative Hybrid Wrestling’ and the ‘Muddy River Rollers’ roller derby league from the Moncton area. Along with an exciting dance party show at the TVMCC, the kick-off night of the festival will not disappoint. Joni says “we’re all looking forward to Friday night. I hope it goes over well, but either way it will be fun.”
The line-up and schedule for the weekend has been finalized and can be found online at sappyfest.com. And currently Joni is working on the volunteer schedule, which is her favourite part of the festival.
“You get to contribute to the cultural aspects of the community and at the same time get a lot out of it (yourself),” she said.
There are still some opportunities to volunteer, though space is getting limited. People can volunteer for things such as on-site ticket and merchandise sales or security, among other things.
Her major concern at this time, however, is billeting. Finding places for the musicians to stay during the festival has been somewhat tough and they are still looking for people willing to open their homes. Joni highlighted the fact that this is a family event and Sappy organizers are happy to accommodate special requirements from people who would be able to host an artist or band for the weekend.
Tickets and weekend passes are still available at Thunder & Lightening Ltd. or online at ticketpro.ca.
