The Millstone received this press release today.
Festival of Small Halls expands local venue offering for 2016
The festival that brought big names in music to local communities last fall is getting bigger and better this year.
After almost all of the shows in last year’s instalment sold out, The Ontario Festival of Small Halls is expanding its scope and bringing internationally-renowned musicians to 23 rural gathering spaces. The celebration of exceptional live music is taking place from September 15 to October 2, 2016 in intimate settings to enliven those authentic spaces, attract visitors to new regions and build community.
The new host communities this year stretch from Winchester to Elgin and from Burritt’s Rapids to Pakenham. Halls from last year are once again preparing to welcome the Festival of Small Halls such as Seeley’s Bay, Morton, Pembroke, McDonald’s Corners and more.
Kelly Symes, festival co-ordinator, said welcoming big name musical acts to rural Ontario, while showcasing some great local talent, allows music fans to experience a memorable evening of song and dance in gathering places residents hold near and dear.
“We’re delighted to expand the festival to include nine more small halls this time around,” she said, noting that 30 new halls applied from across Eastern Ontario. The additional venues were selected based on their history, charm and the eagerness of their volunteer teams.
“The new venues will be wonderful places to see live music – including two barns, a Legion hall, a United Church, a restored schoolhouse, and more.”
Organizers of the Festival of Small Halls will soon be announcing dates and the big-name and local acts who will be taking center stage across Eastern Ontario and the Upper Ottawa Valley, at the following venues:
Almonte Old Town Hall
Nick Smith Centre Hall, Arnprior
Joshua Bates Centre, Athens
Stonefields, Beckwith
ABC Hall, Bolingbroke
Burritt’s Rapids Community Hall
Chaffey’s Lock Community Hall
Delta Old Town Hall
The Red Brick School, Elgin
Fire Hall Theatre, Gananoque
Maberly Community Hall
McDonald’s Corners Agricultural Hall
Morton Community Hall
Lyndhurst Legion Hall
St. Andrew’s United Church, Pakenham
Pembroke Festival Hall
Ecotay, Perth
Seeley’s Bay Community Hall
Spencerville Mill
The Ivy on William, Smiths Falls
Union Hall, Mississippi Mills
Westmeath Recreation Centre
Winchester Old Town Hall
For more information, please visit www.thefestivalofsmallhalls.com or follow on social media.
For more general information about the festival or to arrange interviews, connect with:
Rosanne Lake
Festival of Small Halls Publicity
