“Homegrown Live Music Festival” celebrates its 7th year as a major fundraiser for Joe’s M.I.L.L. on Saturday May 9, 2015.
The one-day festival will showcase some of Kingston’s best musicians at multiple venues in downtown Kingston, while providing much needed support to the Joe Chithalen Memorial Musical Instrument Lending Library (Joe’s M.I.L.L.) and the Partners in Mission Food Bank.
An all access bracelet for the festival is: $10, or $5 with a non-perishable food donation.
Over the past five years, Homegrown Live has raised over $50,000 for Joe’s M.I.L.L and the Food Bank and resulted in the donation of over 1800 food items.
“We’re very excited to be back for our seventh festival,” says festival chair Tom Stewart. “It’s amazing to think that we’ve had around 500 performances over the last six years, every one of which helped both Joe’s M.I.L.L. and the Food Bank. Part of the spirit of Homegrown Live is bolstering the Kingston music scene, and we look forward to seeing more venues packed full again this year.”
The 2015 lineup includes more than 80 local bands and musicians, in 10 downtown venues, showcasing their talents in a wide variety of music genres: rock, blues, jazz, Celtic, folk, electroacoustic, and more.
Festival bracelets allow concert goers to attend any show at the 10 different venues, offering performances from 1 PM to 2 AM.
Homegrown Live is made possible thanks to the generous sponsorship of Downtown Kingston! B.I.A., Kingston Sound Works, HG Concepts, Kingstonist.com, Peter Finnegan of BMO-Nesbitt Burns, Skeleton Park Arts Festival, Renaissance Music and the Kingston Whig-Standard.
A full list of venues, performers, and sponsors is available at homegrownlive.ca. Also visit Homegrown Live at their Facebook page and on Twitter.
“The Joe Chithalen Memorial Musical Instrument Lending Library (Joe’s M.I.L.L.)” is a registered charity in Kingston, Ontario founded by musician, Wally High, in memory of his friend and band member, the late Joe Chithalen. Joe’s M.I.L.L. operates in tribute to Joe’s love of music such that everyone who wants to can enjoy playing music as he did. Approximately 3000 loans were issued in the past year alone from an inventory of over 600 instruments and items, 100 of those are on loan to school & tuition programs in the Kingston area.
Mission Statement: Our lending and teaching program fosters music appreciation, knowledge, community enrichment and provides opportunities for youth and adults to meet their full potential.
“Partners In Mission Food Bank“ – Our Mission: To provide nourishment and hope to those we serve, and an opportunity for our community to share.
Monetary and food donations help us to nourish local families by providing groceries through our food hamper program. Being the food distribution center for this area, we also donate surplus provisions to over 20 local hot meal and shelter programs in the Kingston area.
Although the food bank primarily provides non-perishable items, we do provide seasonal fresh produce and occasionally meat products from local businesses and donors.
“Homegrown Live” is a non-profit organization responsible for organizing the annual Homegrown Live Music Festival, a music festival celebrating live music in Kingston.
Release source: Chris Morris / Homegrown Live
