The Gooderham Music Festival is a go for the Robert McCausland Memorial Arena July 27. This year’s lineup of star performances includes local bands, Gary and the Rough Ideas, and Ragged Company.
Organizer Valerie Dugale said, “what’s exciting is it’s going to be bigger and better than ever. We’ve got a lot more sponsorship this year, and we’re bringing in some really fabulous talent, including Genevieve Fisher and local bands here in the County.”
New this year is an open mic for local musicians to perform and sing.
Dugale added, “we really want to showcase emerging talent in Haliburton County and the open mic session is meant to do that.”
The music festival is free, though organizers are asking attendees to bring in a donation for the Central Food Network.
The headlining act is Fisher, who’s been named a star on the rise by country music radio stations. Fisher will be performing her set at 7 p.m.
The festival started in 2018 and took a two-year hiatus because of COVID-19. “Obviously, we’ve been looking for ways to put on events that draw the Haliburton community together. It [the festival] is a major music event in the County. It’s really just to give people, our residents, our cottagers, a great, great experience,” Dugale said.
Gary Baumgartner, the lead vocalist and keyboard player of Gary and the Rough Ideas, is looking forward to Saturday’s event. “It’s been said to me that [my music] sounds a little like Jackson Browne, sounds a little bit like the Eagles, because of those influences,” he said.
In terms of what Baumgartner and his band will be playing at the festival, he added, “there will be some Billy Joel, and likely some Elton John.
“I think it’s going to be well-received. Plus, you’ve got us, and we’re kind of on the rock n’ roll side of things, so I think it’s going to be a good fit,” Baumgartner said.
Karen Frybort, of Ragged Company, is looking forward to playing at the venue again. “We played there once before and it was a great venue. It’s a great stage; outdoor stages, I find, the big sky is your roof,” Frybort said.
“When we have original music or we do a cover, we sort of want to give it our own twist. And it doesn’t have to be note for note. We just interpret. We don’t follow the music as we go; we go, we learn it. We feel that’s quite ragged. Obviously, I have the bones of the song, but our version is, we say we raggedize it,” Frybort said.
Dugale said of the growing event, “the other great thing this year is we have a big barbecue sale and a beer tent. It’s just another sign that we’re growing.” There will also be a silent auction on site.
