Cathy Dobson
Sarnia will end the summer celebrating an abundance of good things ranging from good deeds done in our community to good music and good times.
It all comes together at the second annual Festival of Good Things on Friday and Saturday, says organizer Chris Lewis.
“Last year we were brand new and about 2,000 came,” he said. “Now a lot of people say they heard about it and they are going for sure.”
Free live music, a kids’ zone, wakeboarding competition, handmade market and “Good People” tent are planned throughout Saturday.
The tent will be filled with about 15 community groups holding workshops and sharing everything from pottery-making to safe biking.
The handmade market – new this year- features 25 vendors selling jewelry, metalwork, homemade candles, paintings and more.
“We are making sure it’s not too commercialized. We want it to be about creativity,” said Lewis, a board member with Storyboard Cultural Community Endeavours. The group of 20 and 30-somethings launched the Festival of Good Things last Labour Day weekend “to promote good work and the good people of Lambton County.”
At 6 p.m., the festival becomes a ticketed event with eight Ontario craft beer companies, food vendors and Gord Downie, lead singer and lyricist of Canadian superband The Tragically Hip, playing with Toronto-based band The Sadies.
Tickets are $40 in advance, $50 at the gate, with about 600 expected at the outdoor concert, said Lewis. “It’s going to be a great night. We’ve got an awesome venue on the waterfront and a huge field that gives us lots of space for all our events.”
The Festival has expanded this year to include Friday night and a “pitch party” with the Sarnia Awesome Foundation, which will give away a $1,000 “microgrant” to improve the community.
Friday Night Kick Off Party
- 6 p.m. next to Sarnia Bay Marina.
- Admission is free but donations kindly accepted at gate.
- Beer tent, food, Awesome Foundation pitch party and awarding of $1,000.
- Live music on stage featuring: Kennedy Cult from Peterborough; and local bands In the End We Dance and Horseless Headmen.
Saturday (11 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.)
- Free admission. All ages welcome.
- Good People Tent demonstrations, workshops and info.
- Handmade Market with 25 vendors.
- Kids Zone with inflatables, face painting and mini golf.
- Triple Crown Wakeboarding Finals at Boarder Pass.
- Beer Tent; food vendors.
- Live music, both local and out-of-town on stage featuring: Woodshed Orchestra, Kashka, Small Town Get Up, Lit’l Chicago, Serf Kanata, The Silence of Ivory, The Woodlands.
Saturday night @ 6 p.m. - midnight
- Ticketed music festival featuring Gord Downie and The Sadies.
- Opening acts: Arnprior-based folksinger Craig Cardiff; indie rocker Molly Thomason and seven-member indie band Library Voices.
Visit www.festivalofgoodthings.com for details and tickets.