CANSO — “There’s no train to Guysborough, or so the man said, so it might be a great place to be.”
Organizers of the annual summer music festival that bears his name are using that lyric from his tune “The Guysborough Train” to introduce a new feature being added to the iconic Stan Rogers Folk Festival, one that will bring a preview of what concert-goers can expect when they gather for the traditional celebration of songwriters.
The appetizer before the main course, of sorts – the Stan Rogers Roadshow – will make stops across Guysborough County over three days leading up to a jam-packed weekend of entertainment scheduled for the festival grounds in the seaside town.
“We want to celebrate Guysborough County as a whole,” Steve MacIntyre – Stanfest artistic director – told The Journal in a recent phone interview of the eight-show package that will be staged in six communities.
As the festival approaches its 30th anniversary in 2027, organizers are exploring ways in which it can evolve, including the potential expansion to a seven-day format; the roadshow serving as a way in which to reach that goal.
“We want to share the wealth,” MacIntyre said of offering shows in some of the “wonderful communities that have supported Stanfest” over the years.
MacIntyre explained that Stanfest organizers want visitors to do more than “drive through” Guysborough County on their way to and from Canso for the festival; and experience the “great things” that their neighbouring communities have to offer.
“Come early and come back,” he said of the focus for the expansion effort, which includes the roadshow; something that MacIntyre noted organizers plan to grow in the future.
The Stanfest artistic director also noted that the roadshow will help the festival – in light of climate change – provide entertainment in more “fixed-roof venues.”
The Stanfest Roadshow opening gala, which is scheduled for Monday, July 22 at the Miles MacDonald Performance Centre in Guysborough, will feature Lucy MacNeil, along with Rankin and the Broken Reeds.
Other roadshow stops include Charlos Cove, Sherbrooke, Little Dover and Larrys River.
The schedule, line-up of artists and ticket information are available on the festival website – stanfest.com
“We are pretty excited,” he of the new Stanfest feature.
Each roadshow starts at 7 p.m.
‘Celebration of song writing’
The addition of the roadshow in no way affects the “core” of Stanfest, which remains “unchanged,” according to MacIntyre, offering it will provide an opportunity for people to enhance that experience.
The line-up for Stanfest 2024, which runs from Thursday, July 25 to Sunday, July 28, on the Stanfest Grounds in Canso will feature “a great mix of well-known performers, along with some real [hidden] gems,” as he mentioned in a previous conversation with The Journal.
MacIntyre added that the song writers’ festival will have the “tried and true waiting for you.”
Kicking off the main stage performances on July 26 will be headliner Jim Cuddy, former front man for Canadian legends Blue Rodeo, who has reached equally lofty heights as a solo artist. That opening night show will also feature festival favourites Lenny Gallant, Dave Gunning and J.P. Cormier.
On Saturday, July 27, Rankin and The Broken Reeds will be in the spotlight after performances by the likes of Kazdoura and Les Royal Pickles, while the Sunday, July 28 main stage finale will include Luke Wallace and Alan Syliboy and The Thundermakers, along with headliner Tim Baker.
And on Saturday and Sunday – before the main stage shows – a variety of performers will share their talents in workshops in five tents that dotted the Canso grounds. It will mark a return to that number of daytime venues since the COVID-19 global pandemic.
Celebrating Bruce
On the eve of the weekend festivities, Stanfest will honour one of its legendary contributors – the late Bruce Guthro – with The Circle Continues on Thursday, July 25.
The native of Sydney Mines, who passed away last September, was one of the pioneers of the annual celebration of song writing. Although the cruel effects of cancer prevented him and his children – Jodi and Dylan – from taken his beloved Stanfest stage last year, the Guthro clan provided a tear-jerking highlight of the 2023 event with a video performance.
“It is going to be a fitting tribute to our dear friend,” MacIntyre said.
Along with Guthro’s children – Jodi and Dylan – The Circle Continues line-up will include, among others, Kim Dunn, Matt Andersen, The Men of the Deeps, Lucy MacNeil, Irish Mythen and Gunning and Cormier.
The heart and soul
MacIntyre agreed that one of the keys to success for Stanfest, which is well into its second decade, are the volunteers.
“It can’t happen without them,” he said, adding that there are “hundreds” that participate.
As an example of that dedication, MacIntyre noted that many take their vacations so they can be a part of Stanfest each year.
“They give freely of their time – it is amazing,” he said.
Noting that there are “a lot of moving parts,” when it comes to organizing the festival, the first-year artistic director said, “Everything is going very well.”
“We are going to be ready to go – we can’t wait.” MacIntyre added.
Once again, for everything Stanfest 2024, visit stanfest.com
