For Immediate Release March 23, 2017

The Orangeville Blues and Jazz Festival announced details today about the 15th annual Festival taking place this year from June 1st to June 4th in downtown Orangeville.

Gary Brown, President of the Festival Board of Directors, and Larry Kurtz, Festival Founder and Artistic Director, welcomed an enthusiastic crowd of Festival insiders and supporters at the annual Festival Launch Event at Mill Creek Pub in Orangeville.

Festival President Gary Brown said, “On behalf of the Festival and our thousands of attendees and hundreds of volunteers, we are deeply grateful for the funding and services that are generously provided to support the Festival. This Festival has become a signature event for
Orangeville and the surrounding region and we would like to thank all our partners, sponsors and funders for their tremendous support. We would like to acknowledge the generous financial support from Heritage Canada which helps to showcase our outstanding local performers which has become such an important part of the Festival’s programming. We would also like thank the Ontario Trillium Foundation, the County of Dufferin and the Town of Orangeville for their important financial and operational support.

We were very pleased to be recognized recently as one of the Top 100 festivals and events in Ontario for 2017 by Festivals & Events Ontario. This is our sixth year to receive this award and it is great honor for our Festival to be recognized among some of the very best festivals and events in Ontario!”

Mr. Brown also noted this year’s Festival will be adding some new enhancements to further compliment a positive visitor experience. The Festival will feature a larger main stage with improved sound and stage lighting along with designating the entire main stage audience area
as a licensed area. These enhancements will create better sightlines of the stage and improved sound for all patrons. As part of supporting the ongoing advancement of the Festival, there will a $5 per person daily admission fee to the Royal LePage Main Stage and Opera House
performances. Children 12 and under will be free. Admission to other Festival events, such as the TD Local Stars Tent, the Friday Night Blues Cruise, the Saturday Blues & Bikes, pop-up bands on Broadway for Friday evening and Saturday afternoon, the Library workshops and the
Memorial Jazz March will all continue to offer free admission. The introduction of a modest admission fee to the Mainstage and Opera House events only will help to ensure the Festival has the funding in place to continue offering a community event of the highest standards.

To this end, the Festival extends a special thank-you to Central Counties Tourism who has generously partnered with the Festival this year by providing funding to support many of the new operational and marketing initiatives as part of building the organizational capacity of the
Festival going forward. “As one of Ontario’s 13 Regional Tourism Organizations, Central Counties Tourism works to support and elevate the very best that York, Durham and Headwaters has to offer”, said Chuck Thibeault, Executive Director of Central Counties Tourism.

“The Orangeville Blues and Jazz Festival is one of Headwaters’ and Central Counties’ premier events, drawing tens of thousands of visitors each year. They continually evolve and grow to stay relevant and attract new audiences. Central Counties is proud to partner with them on the 2017 Festival.”

The Treasurer of the Orangeville Business Improvement Association, Joe Sammut said “I am pleased to announce on behalf of the members of the Orangeville Business Improvement Association that we will be providing $35,000 in funding to the Orangeville Blues and Jazz Festival for this year’s event. As one of the Festival’s largest contributors over the last ten years, Downtown Orangeville’s businesses and merchants welcome the economic activity this important Festival brings to our local business community. Our members consider this event to be the number one attraction for visitors in the area.”

In announcing this year’s outstanding line-up of performers, Festival Founder and Artistic Director, Larry Kurtz, stated “We are excited to announce the Festival will take place from June 1st to June 4th in downtown Orangeville and will feature over 9O ACTS performing on 3 STAGES and in local pubs and restaurants with pop-up bands featured on Broadway and Mill Street over the course of four days.”

The Festival will kick-off on Thursday June 1st with a feature performance of the Ben Racine Band at our opening event sponsored by Meridian and taking place at the Best Western PLUS Inn & Suites.

The ever-popular Blues Cruise on Broadway sponsored by Dairy Queen, Ideal Supply, MacMaster Buick GMC and Orangeville Chrysler returns on Friday June 2nd starting at 5PM and will feature 10 bands performing including Paul James and Danny Marks with 300 classic cars all taking place on Broadway!

Following the Blues Cruise, the Royal LePage Main Stage on Friday night will feature Larry Kurtz and the Lawbreakers taking the stage at 8PM followed by the award-winning Dawn Tyler Watson Band from Montreal.

On Saturday, performances on the Royal LePage Main Stage will start at noon beginning with one of Orangeville’s most popular bands, Soul Collective followed by Harp Attack! featuring Lee Oskar, David Rotundo, Michael Pickett and Larry Kurtz. Spencer Mackenzie will take the stage followed by Turbo Street Funk who will lead the Dods & McNair Memorial Jazz March from the Main Stage with everyone invited to participate in the march along Broadway and then returning to the Stage area. Braithwaite & Whiteley, the Juno-nominated Paul Reddick Band, and from Chicago our headliners Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials will round out the evening schedule. Also, taking place on Saturday afternoon will be the Blues & Bikes event on Mill Street sponsored by Barrie Harley Davidson. Saturday afternoon will feature Free Music Workshops including Harmonica with Lee Oskar, Rhythm Section with Vince Maccarone and Ukelele with Manitoba Hal in the Orangeville Public Library.

The Royal LePage Main Stage performers on Sunday will include Chris Antonik, the Gabriel Palatchi Trio, Coco Love Alcorn with a special Festival closing performance of The LAST WALTZ – A Musical Celebration of THE BAND – Live.

The Opera House Series sponsored by Mortgage Architects and Orangeville Insurance Services, takes place inside the beautifully renovated Orangeville Opera House featuring jazz and acoustic blues performances on Saturday and Sunday afternoon. This soft seat intimate venue with amazing sound acoustics is the perfect venue to enjoy performances by Stan Chang & Eric Bruck, Carol McCartney, Juno-nominated Sean Pinchin and Los Variants during the day on Saturday followed by Manitoba Hal, Michael Pickett and from New York, Guy Davis performing on Sunday afternoon. The lobby will feature an exhibit of Blues & Jazz themed artwork and photography.

The TD Tent Local Stars stage on Saturday and Sunday will showcase the ODSS Jazz Band, Flashback, Orangeville Music Theatre, Southern Fryde Inc., Itchy & Scratchy, Andi Trepanier, Orangeville Chorus, the Travelling Wannabees, the Fire Cats, the Jazz Society Band and the Heather Katz Band.

There are many other Bands and Performers taking part in the Festival as part of the “pop-up” performances taking place on Broadway which will be closed on Friday night and all day Saturday to create a unique festival vibe with a pedestrian friendly setting.

For more information about this year’s Festival, please visit:
orangevillebluesandjazz.ca

For Festival Interviews contact:
Larry Kurtz – Festival Founder & Artistic Director, larryk@look.ca or (519) 217-7875
Gary Brown – President, Festival Board of Directors, (519) 925-5422

Download The Media Release (PDF Format).

Please take a few moments to complete our brief Festival and Central Counties Tourism audience survey and share your Festival experience with us.

We very much value your feedback and thank you in advance for your support!

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/S33NH2Y

Peter Noce & Harry Posner from the Sill Podcast talk with Orangeville Blues & Jazz Festival founder Larry Kurtz.

https://thesillpodcast.com/2018/05/21/tsp045-blues-jazz-bops-into-town-16-years-of-musical-joy/

You can purchase your weekend admission tickets to the Mainstage and Opera House performances in advance by visiting:
https://dufferin.snapd.com/events/view/1156941

A $15 value for only $10 (including service charges and HST)!

Note: Only Main Stage and Opera House performances require a paid admission, all other Festival events are Free.

Daily admissions for $5 may be purchased on the day of at Alexandra Park

Children 12 and under have free admission

For Immediate Release March 29, 2018

The Orangeville Blues and Jazz Festival announced today details about the 16th annual Festival taking place this year from June 1st to June 3rd in downtown Orangeville.

Josh Leitch, President of the Festival Board of Directors, and Larry Kurtz, Festival Founder and Artistic Director, welcomed an enthusiastic crowd of Festival insiders and supporters at the annual Festival Launch Event at Mill Creek Pub in Orangeville.

Festival President Josh Leitch said, “On behalf of the Festival and our thousands of attendees and hundreds of volunteers, we are deeply grateful for the funding and services that are generously provided to support the Festival. This Festival has become a signature event for Orangeville and the Dufferin region and we would like to thank all our partners, sponsors and funders for their tremendous support, particularly the Orangeville Business Improvement Association as a major partner with the Festival. We would like to also acknowledge the financial support from Heritage Canada in helping to showcase our outstanding local performers which has become such an important part of the Festival’s programming. We would also like thank the Ontario Trillium Foundation, the County of Dufferin and the Town of Orangeville for their outstanding support. We were very pleased to be recognized once again as one of the Top 100 festivals and events in Ontario for 2018 by Festivals & Events Ontario. This is our seventh year to receive this award and it is great honor for our Festival to be recognized among some of the very best festivals and events in Ontario!”

The Festival would like to acknowledge the support from Central Counties Tourism who has partnered with the Festival again to help promote the Festival and the region as a cultural tourism destination. “As one of Ontario’s 13 Regional Tourism Organizations, Central Counties Tourism works to support and elevate the very best that York, Durham and Headwaters has to offer”, said Chuck Thibeault, Executive Director of Central Counties Tourism. “The Orangeville Blues and Jazz Festival is one of Headwaters’ and Central Counties’ premier events, drawing tens of thousands of visitors each year. They continually evolve and grow to stay relevant and attract new audiences. Central Counties is proud to be a partner with the 2018 Festival.”

The Treasurer and Board Member of the Orangeville Business Improvement Association, Joe Sammut said “I am pleased to announce on behalf of the members of the Orangeville Business Improvement Association that we will be providing $35,000 in funding to the Orangeville Blues and Jazz Festival for this year’s event. As one of the Festival’s largest contributors over the last ten years, Downtown Orangeville’s businesses and merchants welcome the economic activity this important Festival brings to our local business community. Our members consider this event to be the number one attraction for visitors in the area.”

In announcing this year’s outstanding line-up of performers, Festival Founder and Artistic Director, Larry Kurtz, stated “We are excited to announce the Festival will take place from June 1st to 3rd in downtown Orangeville and will feature over 9O ACTS on 3 STAGES and in local pubs, restaurants and event venues with several pop-up Bands performing on Broadway and Mill Street.”

The 16th Annual Orangeville Blues & Jazz festival starts on Friday night at 5PM with the extremely popular Blues Cruise, sponsored by Dairy Queen, and MacMaster Buick GMC and Orangeville Chrysler. The Blues Cruise features over 300 classic cars and 10 bands performing on Broadway including the Gary Cain Band, Bad Luck Woman & Her isfortunes, Jake Chisholm, Brian Blain, Alan Gerber, Ronnie Douglas, Bent Roots, the Glen Marais Band, Tamica & The Boys, Pete Temple & The Cornerstones, the Can-Am Blues Band featuring James Anthony, and the Andrew B Parkhouse Band.

The Royal LePage Main Stage will feature Larry Kurtz & The Lawbreakers with special guest singer Lisa Hutchinson going on stage at 8PM on Friday night followed by Raoul & The Big Time performing with a 7-piece horn section fresh off their appearance in the semi-finals at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis.

Throughout the entire weekend there will be live music featured in over 20 clubs, restaurants and event venues around town.

On Saturday the Royal Lepage Main Stage will kick-off at noon and feature an outstanding lineup of feature performers including SugaRay Rayford who was nominated for four 2018 Blues Music Awards, Crystal Shawanda, Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar, Jimmy D Lane, Jenie Thai, Justin Saladino, and Angelina Hunter.

The festival also features plenty of great local talent performing in the TD Local Stars Tent on Saturday and Sunday. Also, on Saturday there will be many other Bands and Performers participating in the Festival as part of the “pop-up” performances taking place on Broadway which will be closed to vehicles to create a unique festival vibe with a pedestrian friendly setting.

Also featured on Saturday, there will be a Blues & Bikes motorcycle event taking place on Mill Street. Special workshops will be offered in the Orangeville Public Library featuring Songwriting with Rob Lutes, Blues Guitar with Jimmy D Lane and boogie-woogie piano with Alan Gerber.

Inside the Orangeville Opera House sponsored by Mortgage Architects and Orangeville Insurance Services, the lineup includes local piano man Stan Chang, Yukon-based Ryan McNally, Maple Blues Award nominee Rob Lutes, Canada’s premiere acapella vocal group Countermeasure, and Juno Award winners – the incredible jazz pianist Robi Botos and celebrated vocalist Kellylee Evans.

On Sunday, the Royal Lepage Main Stage will start off at noon with Wayne Buttery and his eight-piece band featuring Danny Weis, followed by Toronto Blues Society Talent Search winner Dan McKinnon and multi-Maple Blues Awards winners the Paul Deslauriers Band. The Festival is particularly excited to present four-time Latin Grammy Award Winner Alex Cuba as the featured Main Stage performer on Sunday. Do not miss this act!

For more information about the Festival, including a detailed schedule of activities and performers, please visit orangevillebluesandjazz.ca.

For Festival Interviews contact:
Larry Kurtz – Festival Founder & Artistic Director larryk@look.ca or 519.217.7875
Josh Leitch– President, Festival Board of Directors, joshleitch1867@gmail.com or 519,942.2937

Release in PDF Format.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 6, 2018

Orangeville, March 6, 2018 – The Orangeville Blues and Jazz Festival proudly announced it has been once again recognized by Festival and Events Ontario as one of the 2018 Top 100 Festivals and Events in Ontario. The Top 100 recipients represent festivals and events that excel within the industry. This award represents the seventh year that the Orangeville Blues and Jazz Festival has been recognized as a Top 100 recipient.

Submissions from FEO members were received for consideration in the fall of 2017 and were judged by an independent panel of judges. Festivals and events of all kinds from every corner of Ontario were represented in the submissions – from community festivals to internationally recognized events. The 2018 Top 100 Awards were given out on Friday, March 2nd during FEO’s Annual Conference “Create the Experience” in Hamilton, Ontario.

“We are thrilled to receive this recognition once again of our Festival and we look forward to presenting our 16th annual Festival this June. I am particularly pleased that our Festival attendance grows steadily every year and we continue to present some of the very best in both local and Canadian talent” said Larry Kurtz, Festival Founder and Artistic Director.

“It is gratifying for the Festival and our community to be recognized by the festival and events industry. On behalf of the Board of Directors, volunteers and supporters of the Orangeville Blues and Jazz Festival, we would like to thank our community, funders and sponsors for their important role in creating an exciting festival of such importance” said Josh Leitch, President of the Festival Board of Directors The 16th Annual Orangeville Blues and Jazz Festival will take place on June 1 to 3, 2018.

Further information about the Festival is available at www.orangevillebluesandjazz.ca

Contact Peter Ross
Cell 647-525-8494
Email prossobjf@gmail.com
Website orangevillebluesandjazz.ca

Download Press Release In PDF Format

We would like to send a huge shout-out of thanks and appreciation to all the folks who helped to make this year’s event such a great success.

A capacity crowd was on the dance floor enjoying amazing performances from Soul Collective and Blackburn. The spirit of the Big Easy was well represented through the amazing décor, music and food.

The silent auction was once again made possible with the donations of goods and services from the local Business community and we extend a very sincere thank you for their generous support.

A special thanks to all of our Festival Volunteers who worked so hard to create an amazing event.

Please visit our Facebook page for some photos of the great evening.
https://www.facebook.com/orangevillebluesandjazz/posts/10155486709298721

Orangeville, January 15, 2018 – The Orangeville Blues and Jazz Festival announced their upcoming annual fundraising event will take place on Saturday, February 17, 2018 at the Best Western PLUS Orangeville Inn & Suites.

The theme for this year’s event will be based on a night in The Big Easy. The Big Easy is a nickname for New Orleans and this year’s event will be a Mardi-Gras themed celebration. The format for this year’s event will feature great live music, décor and food in keeping with the Big Easy atmosphere. “This year’s event will be a great opportunity to break out the bling and we encourage people dress to creatively with a Mardi-Gras feel and their best beads” said Michelle Wilson, the Event Chair and Festival Board Member.

“In keeping with the party atmosphere of this year’s Big Easy format, we are thrilled to be featuring the exciting Juno Award Nominee, Maple Blues Award winner and previous Festival headliner, Blackburn along with the R&B sounds of Orangeville’s favorites, Soul Collective. This is going to be a great night of high-energy music and dancing along with party atmosphere of the Big Easy” said Larry Kurtz, the Festival’s Founder and Artistic Director.

The evening will also include an outstanding silent auction of memorable and unique items. Also included this year will be a special mid-evening New Orleans style snack buffet. Cash bar and food service is available. Doors will open at 7:30PM.

Tickets are $50 (tax included) in advance and are on sale at BookLore and the TD Bank branches in Orangeville. A VIP table for 10 people may be reserved by contacting the Festival office at prossobjf@gmail.com Tickets will be on sale at the door for $55 on the day of the event if available. All ticket prices include HST.

This venue for this event is generously sponsored by Best Western PLUS Orangeville Inn & Suites.

All proceeds from this event are in support of the 16th annual Orangeville Blues and Jazz Festival taking place from June 1st to 3rd, 2018. For further information, please visit www.orangevillebluesandjazz.ca

Check out Blackburn’s appearance at our 2016 Festival for a taste of what to expect at this year’s event:

Download Event News Release (PDF)

2018 Orangeville Blues and Jazz Festival planning & organizing has begun, and we need your help!

We need volunteers for some pre-festival tasks for those of you who can spare some time leading up to the event. In addition, openings as Team Leaders are available for some positions.

Adults, Students, Groups, Families and Leaders
Sign up on line at orangevillebluesandjazz.ca/volunteer/

Interested but unsure? Contact us at volunteers@orangevillebluesandjazz.ca We can work within your availability and be here to support you along the way.

Music – Community – Fun
Join us now for the Award Winning 16th Annual Orangeville Blues and Jazz Festival.

The award winning 15th Orangeville Blues & Jazz Festival returns to downtown Orangeville from Thursday, June 1 to Sunday, June 4.

Recognized as one of the Top 100 Festivals and Events in Ontario for the last six years, this year’s Festival features over 90 acts performing on multiple stages and in a variety of venues over the course of the four-day Festival. With concerts taking place on the Royal LePage Main Stage, in the TD Tent and Orangeville Opera House, in local restaurants and pubs, with special events and workshops, and even a Memorial Jazz March, there is sure to be something for everyone.

Headliners featured this year include the Ben Racine Band who will perform at the Festival Opening Gala. Ben’s soulful voice is reminiscent of the greatest Rhythm and Blues vocalists of the ‘50s and ‘60s. Inspired by artists such as Junior Walker, Bill Withers, Stevie Wonder and Clarence Carter, he will take you back to the days when vocals were the center point of music. He is also a lot more than just a voice. His guitar playing covers a wide range of styles – pleasing blues and funk fans alike. Winner of the “Albert King Award” for best guitarist
performance at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis in February 2017, his contagious energy and charisma combine for a sound that is truly original. You’ll be tapping your feet within the first few notes.

Featured on the Royal LePage Main Stage Friday night will be Dawn Tyler Watson from Montreal. Recently returned from Memphis TN, where she took home the coveted 1st place spot out of over 260 acts at the 2017 International Blues Challenge, Dawn is also the recipient of three Canadian Maple Blues Awards and nine Quebec Lys Blues Awards. She’s earned the Screaming Jay Hawkins Award for Best Live Performance, a Trophées France Blues for female Performance, a Trophées France Blues for female International Artist of the Year, and a Canadian Folk Music Award nomination for Best Vocalist. Playing festivals and concert halls across 4 continents, recording four albums, and appearing on numerous compilations, she has shared the stage with an array of premiere artists, including Oliver Jones, Jeff Healy, Koko Taylor, Susan Tedeschi, and Cyndi Lauper.

On Saturday night, the renowned Lil’ Ed and the Blues Imperials from Chicago will perform on the Royal LePage Main Stage. Coming from Chicago, a city overflowing with unrivaled blues talent, world-renowned Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials have been standing tall for almost 30 years. The band’s big sound, fueled by Lil’ Ed’s gloriously rollicking slide work and deep blues string bending, along with his rough-edged, soulful vocals, is as real and hard-hitting as Chicago blues gets. The Chicago Sun-Times says, “Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials are the hottest purveyors of bottleneck boogie to come out of Chicago since Hound Dog Taylor.”

Bringing the Festival to a celebratory closing on Sunday will be a performance of The Last Waltz – A Musical Celebration of the Band – LIVE taking place on the Royal LePage Main Stage. An all-star Canadian cast of award-winning blues and roots musicians, under the direction of Juno award winning producer and musical director, Lance Anderson, will include Juno and Maple Blues Lifetime Achievement award winner Chuck Jackson (lead singer of the Downchild Blues Band), Jerome Levon Avis (Levon Helm’s godson) the always entertaining Johnny Max, and other special guest singers. The performance will recreate the atmosphere of The Band’s final concert, which was captured in Martin Scorcese’s award-winning concert film, The Last Waltz.

Download Post In PDF Format

Festival volunteers were invited to join the Ontario Volunteer Service Awards at the Mississauga Convention Centre on Wednesday. Larry Kurtz, Festival founder says, “We are proud of our many volunteers who work tirelessly to create the Festival every year, and pleased to see them recognized in this way. Adults may receive awards after 5, 10 or 15 years, and youths, after only two years. We are able to nominate 6 adults and 3 youths each year. Congratulations to them all.”

Receiving their awards this year are: Candice Barrington (5 Years), John Bessie (10 Years), Ted Gerber (10 Years), Ryan Grist (10 years), Don Ladner (10 years), Daniel Olien (10 years). Youth awards go to John McKay-Brice (5 years) and Colin Medcalf (2 years).

During the ceremony, awards were presented by Bob Delaney MPP for Mississauga-Streetsville and Ted Arnott MPP for Wellington-Halton. The 272 volunteers in attendance contributed a staggering 3,955 years of volunteer service. Orangeville Blues and Jazz Festival measured up bringing in 62 of those years!

To join our team and volunteer with the 15th annual Orangeville Blues and Jazz Festival, please sign up online at www.orangevillebluesandjazz.ca/volunteer/