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Situated just outside of Cowansville, Quebec, Canada, at 1140 Knowlton Road (route 104 / 139 ) in West Brome, is the site of the old Sunnymead farm and this year's sixth annual Picnic; August 13, 14 & 15. Six hundred and fifty acres of land along with the rounded mountains of the Eastern Townships provide the backdrop and inspiration for this international event.
This year, the Picnic organizers along with Molson Hi DRY, the Sunnymead Village, and Alternative radio station 999 the Buzz out of Burlington, Vermont, are presenting some of the finest area bands and international acts. Every year, the Sunnymead Picnic showcases independent artists from the local Montreal, Burlington and Eastern Townships areas, as well as bands from outside the region.
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| Produced by the non profit organization, Le Festival Sunnymead, the picnic donates all its proceeds to "Dans La Rue", an organization serving homeless youth on the streets of Montreal. Most of the youth are under the age of 18, and many are "runaways", either from broken homes, abusive families or institutions from Montreal and surrounding areas like the Eastern Townships. Many resort to violence, drugs and prostitution to survive. In 1988, Father Emmett Johns, or "Pops" as he is known to the street kids, reached out. Since then, with a team of volunteers, he has been distributing food to hundreds of street kids from a van. The van receives between 25,000 to 30,000 visits per year, and on certain nights, the total reaches up to 300 kids. |
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... have taken advantage of the picnic's four year existance.
On Friday, August 13th
from 9pm to 1am, Sunnymead will present Bushy’s blues night, with two of the biggest Blues acts in Quebec, Steve Hill and the Stephen Barry Band.
At only 24 years of age, Steve Hill, the young guitarist from Trois-Rivière will headline the evening. Already a star and a favourite on the Quebec blues scene, Hill is quickly becoming part of a select group of Canadian musicians who attract attention. Make no mistake, Steve Hill is not only a guitarist who knows how to explore the limits of his instrument, but an exciting live performer who is not to be missed.
Opening the show, will be the Stephen Barry Band. Stephen Barry, a native Montrealer, has assembled some of the city’s best Blues musicians and has been performing steadily for the last twenty years. Bushy, a blues enthusiast (host of the upcoming Sunnymead Internet Radio Blues Show), will host the evening.
Gates open at 8pm and admission is only $15 or $10 in advance through an Admission Outlet near you, directly through the web (Type sunnymead in the events box) or by phone.
Parking is included.
On Saturday, August 14th
It's Buzz Day at the picnic, with 999 the Buzz from Burlington hosting and presenting the Picnic Playoff. Now in its 5th year, the Playoff has become an anticipated event for bands. Up for grabs for the winning band, is enough studio time to record an album, at Eclypse Recording out of Hinesburg, Vermont, and 500 CDs of their project from Amtech. Submissions have to be in no later than July 31st. So, send in your demo (no less than 3 songs) on CD or cassette right away to:
Sunnymead Picnic Playoff
P.O. box 277
Waterloo, Quebec
J0e 2N0
After the Playoff, the feature lineup of bands will be,Minds of Mice,Atomic Folk, Zola Turn, Blind Alley, Twenty 2,Bald Vulture and the main attraction, Jughead’s Revenge.
Jughead’s Revenge, from Los Angeles, well known on the world Punk scene, is currently working in studio on a new CD for Nitro Records (the same label as the Offspring) and has not performed in the area for more than a year. The band has been kind enough to take time off from their busy schedule to help raise money for Dans La Rue. The Sunnymead Picnic will be the only venue presenting a Jughead’s Revenge show throughout Quebec and Ontario for the rest of 1999, so get your tickets now!!!
Don’t miss this great opportunity to see Jughead’s Revenge at the only outdoor venue of its kind,
the Sunnymead Picnic at the Sunnymead Farm in West Brome,
with state of the art lights, the night sky and the biggest bonfire you’ll ever see.
Gates open at 10am and shows start at noon. Tickets for Jughead’s Revenge, Bald Vulture and invited guests, will be $15 at the Sunnymead gate and only $10 if you buy in advance from an Admission Outlet near you, directly through the web (Type sunnymead in the events box) or by phone.
Parking is included.
On Sunday, August 15th,
And don’t forget, Sunday; the traditional family picnic, with the best regional rock and country music to entertain picnic-goers of all ages. This year the Sunday Picnic presents, Roadhouse, Stone Canyon, Flashback & The Rainbow Country Cloggers.
Tickets are $5 at the gate, with parking included. (Accompanied children under 12, free entry).
N.B. Glass bottles and cans are not permitted on site.
Tel: 450-539-2098 Fax: 450-539-5176 or e-mail
To contact Admission Outlet by telephone, 365 days a year, from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. (EST) call:
| Montreal : | 514-790-1245 | |
| Toronto : | 416-861-1017 | |
| Ottawa : | 613-237-3800 | |
| Other locations in North America: | 1-800-361-4595 | |
