SappyFest 2010
Wrestling, roller derbies, and great music
Every summer Sackville enjoys its own little independent music festival known as SappyFest and will do so again this summer 2010. The event was originally founded by Julie Doiron, Jon Claytor, and Paul Henderson of Sappy Records in 2006 and now has SappyFest Incorporated registered as an official non-profit organization. Sappy runs from July 30 to August 1 in partnership with Ok.Quoi?! Contemporary Arts Festival, Struts Gallery, and Faucet Media Arts Centre which have their own set of activities and shows going on throughout the weekdays prior.
There will not be a whole lot of changes this year in terms of the way SappyFest is run according to Jon Claytor, organizer and one of the founders of SappyFest. They will be featuring some new venues including the Legion and the park gazebo. At the Legion, they hope to have some round table discussions, while the gazebo will have some free shows. Many of the usual venues such as the Sackville United Church and Uncle Larry’s will again feature as concert locations for SappyFest.
Some noteworthy highlights this year will be the addition of “Magic Ultimate City Wrestling” and “The World’s Smallest Roller Derby” which according to Jon Claytor will knock your socks off. Both are going to be exactly what they sound like, taking place at the Vogue Cinema. Jon commented that the wrestling group may be Preying Mantises vs. Disco Lights, so things are sure to be interesting.
The tent which is usually placed downtown on Bridge Street will be a bit bigger this year and there may also be the chance of some Sappy-brand beer at the table. Carnival games are another possibility to be set up at the front for Sappy goers to enjoy. Claytor commented that they had a dunk tank last year; however, this year it will probably be more like knocking down cans for prizes. In addition, other interesting events will be happening concurrent with Sappy, such as a sound sculpture camp and a dance camp. For those without cars, a bike rack near the tent may also be making an appearance.
Some new bands which Claytor and others have expressed excitement about this year are The Sadies, Holy Fuck, and The Felice Brothers. The Felice Brothers in particular will be coming from New York State. However, most of the bands will be Canadian based such as Apollo Lights, which will be coming from Vancouver, and Heavy Blinkers from Halifax. A portion of the Sappy budget is reserved for Maritime bands, as well as any Sackville bands which can participate, so lots of great regional music is sure to be included. Some other groups already in the line up include $100 dollars, Dog Day, Cat Pontoon, Shotgun Jimmie, BA Johnston and many others.
Jon commented that the town has been very supportive towards Sappy, particularly with local businesses who often act as sponsors for the event. Many have yet to be confirmed right now but Picaroon’s will most likely be a sponsor once again as in previous years.
SappyFest has actually been quite successful in the past, selling 1000 tickets last year and with the hope of selling around 1500 this year. If you want to learn more information about SappyFest you can visit their website at http://SappyFest .com and to buy tickets you can visit www.ticketpro.ca.
Reader Comments