A full house enjoyed an intimate concert with Millbrook’s own Serena Ryder at Market Hall in downtown Peterborough on Tuesday night (March 22), courtesy of Peterborough Musicfest.
Canada’s longest-running free-admission summer music festival, Peterborough Musicfest hosted the by-invitation-only sponsor appreciation event to celebrate the festival’s 35th anniversary season this year. The event also featured a silent auction in support of the festival.
Festival board chair Paul Rellinger and general manager Tracey Randall, who emceed the event, confirmed the festival — having secured all the necessary approvals from public officials — is returning to Del Crary Park this summer for the first time since the pandemic began.
Rellinger and Randall also announced two of the concerts coming this summer. Scottish-Canadian singer Lawrence Gowan, who rose to fame in the 1980s performing as Gowan and later became the lead vocalist for American rock band Styx, will be performing on Saturday, July 2nd. Canada’s favourite cover band Dwayne Gretzky will perform on Saturday, July 16th.
The Dwayne Gretzky performance will also be Invest In Musicfest night, a new initiative where fans can donate to the festival. Although Peterborough Musicfest receives financial support from government and sponsors and will always offer free admission, Invest in Musicfest is an opportunity for people to help the festival secure the best possible performers for the Fred Anderson stage.
More information is available at the festival’s website at www.ptbomusicfest.ca, where you can also make a donation (charitable tax receipts are available).
VIDEO: “What I Wouldn’t Do” by Serena Ryder
As for Serena, she performed two sets on Tuesday night during her first performance at the Market Hall since well before its major renovation over a decade ago.
She first performed a solo acoustic set (“I’m opening for myself,” she joked), including older songs she had never played in public before and a song by Peterborough songwriter David Tough.
For her second set, Serena was joined by her bass player and drummer (supplemented by backing tracks) to perform songs from her latest album The Art of Falling Apart, followed by two encores including her hit “Stompa.”
Audience members at Tuesday night’s event included Serena’s own family, representatives from the City of Peterborough (including Mayor Diane Therrien), sponsors (including kawarthaNOW), and guests.
Serena is next performing live at Toronto’s Massey Hall on Friday, April 1st.
