Currently in its 13th year, the Branches and Roots Festival will kick off performances on Sunday, September 20th, offering eight days of music, art and interactive exhibitions to the local community.
Typically a weekend celebration, this year’s Branches and Roots Festival will last eight days, offering audiences an opportunity to observe a wider variety of performances. Part of the province-wide Journées de la Culture, the festival is designed to showcase local musicians, while encouraging the community to embrace the abundance of both developing and established musical talent in the Chateauguay Valley. The festival runs entirely on freewill donations, charging admission at only one event over the eight-day period.
Officially incorporated in 2010, the non-profit organization aims to not only support local musical talent, but to encourage the participation of the audience—making the festival an interactive one, with something for families and individuals alike. Run majorly by nine board members, president Wolf Kater says that the emphasis of this year’s festival is “on making things as interactive as possible—we want to engage the audience.” Joining the board in 2003 as artistic director, Kater is also a luthier (a builder of stringed musical instruments)—meaning that he holds the opportunity to support local, home-grown music especially close to his heart. As do many of the participating artists; a large number of the performers have played the festival countless times, including local favourites The Durham County Poets and songwriter Stewart Burrows (who doubles as the festival’s artistic director).
The festival is about more than music—it aims to support local artistic talent as a whole. From plays to 4-H square dancers to an eclectic cabaret presented by Francis Jodoin, this year’s organizers have included a lively mix of entertainment for audiences, welcoming both Anglophone and Francophone performers. Funded in part by the Building Communities Through Arts (BCAH), the Branches and Roots Festival is subsidized majorly by grants and the support of local merchants. Venues will range in locale, with performers showcasing everywhere from the Grove Hall in Huntingdon to Ormstown’s MacDougall Hall (which is especially known to musicians due to its horsehair plaster, which makes for an impressive acoustic setting). The festival will also offer an interactive day for visitors, which is a favourite with families. Held at Grove Hall on Saturday, September 26th at 1 P.M., locals can come out and create a mural, or even build a ukulele.
Wrapping up on Sunday, September 27th, the festival will end in its traditional fashion, presenting a gospel performance at the St. Paul’s United Church in Ormstown.
For more information, feel free to contact Wolf Kater at 450-264-5689 or visit www.ormstownmusicfestival.com.
