beach BOOSTER
We’re Local..We’re Wasaga Beach..Number 72 September 22, 2013
by Dianna Chycki
Entertainment in The Beach! The Wasaga Beach Home and Leisure Show presented by Beach Booster Promotions and the Wasaga Beach Blues Festival attracted almost eight thousand people this past weekend. In its second year, the exhibition was held in conjunction with and a partner of the Wasaga Beach Blues Festival. Over thirty exhibitors were located at Stonebridge Town Centre under one roof. The exhibitors offered something for everyone from heating & air conditioning, wine making, travel, real estate, bedding and for the Ladies, Aloette Cosmetics and jewelry. The event attracted some specialized vendors such as Four Winds Trading a connoisseur in quality outdoor living products from Ottawa as well as Ecotip Ltd. from Woodstock who are exclusive Magic Wall distributor. Local vendors were pleased with this year's show. Kudos to Beach Booster Group for a successful event and look forward to next year's Wasaga Beach Home and Leisure Show. Complimenting the Wasaga Beach Home and Leisure Show was the Wasaga Beach Blues Festival featuring Chuck Jackson, musical director, bringing world-class music entertainment to our community. Rain or shine, people were out to captivate some of the best music the Blues Fest had to offer over the weekend. “Last year we called ourselves a festival this year we are a festival.” said Stonebridge's Mark Crowe. The first night of the festival began with D'Mar and Gill combining a wild mix that ends up making blues music stand tall followed by the legendary Downchild Blues Band. This legendary band has been a class act for forty years. Downchild remains a blues force, true to itself and without equal. New to the event was the Saturday's New Orleans inspired Street Shuffle with 10 acts playing along Stonebridge Boulevard for a constant stream of music. Fans and musicians alike found themselves dancing, swaying and singing under the sun and blue skies. The Wasaga Beach Blues Festival main stage lured such artists as Irene Torres & The Sugar Devils, New Orleans meets Toronto; Dexter Allen, one of the best 21st century blues performers from Mississippi; Jack de Keyser, his music traverses blues, rock, jazz and soul but is always firmly rooted in the blues; The Last Watz – Tribute to the Band, a tribute to Levon Helm who passed away last year. Some of the songs played were “Cripple Creek”, “The Weight” and the all time favourite “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down”. After -parties on Saturday night were at Boston Pizza with the Blues Brothers and Wild Wing in a standing room with Paul James. Sunday brought us Mark Bird Stafford – Junior Jam with some of our local talent kids who did a fabulous job singing on stage. Mark is passionate about making sure the next generation develops an appreciation for the Blues: The Paul James Band, based in Toronto, delivered a high-energy show and The Mississippi All-Stars, featured Dexter Allen and D'Mar & Gill. Let's keep bringing more music to Wasaga Beach along with the Wasaga Beach Beach Home and Leisure Show. For more info: www.beachbooster.blogspot.ca and for the Wasaga Beach Blues Festival visit www.wasagabeachblues.com.
WOW! Thousands Flock To Our Community
Dianna Chycki is host of Beach Corner sponsored by the Wasaga Beach Short Film Festival and Co-chair of the WBSFF. Beach Corner broadcasts weekly on Tuesdays and www.beachBOOSTERradio.com Thursdays at 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Photos courtesy of: Enrique Photo Art, Patti Friday, Joe Bickerstaff, Richard Sioen