Dauphin’s Countryfest is expanding its borders and adding a new project in Thunder Bay, Ontario called Country on the Bay.
Ann Ransom, Countryfest president says that the organization does more than just their annual Dauphin summer festival by putting on concerts around Manitoba and Saskatchewan, as well as helping with other music festivals in the prairies.
The organizers of Country on the Bay in Thunder Bay reached out to Countryfest asking for assistance to help put on the festival, and Ransom says it was an easy decision.
“We looked at it a little bit further and went this is a great opportunity to diversify our revenue opportunities, it’s a good thing for our organization, and for Dauphin, and for our brand,” said Ransom.
Ransom added that participating in other festivals and expanding the brand generates a lot of clout in the industry, which allows them to buy more talent.
While Countryfest might be looking to other festivals for revenue opportunities, Ransom says Countryfest is still very much Dauphin centric.
“We are still local, we are still a not-for-profit organization, it’s still out of Dauphin,” said Ransom. “The nice thing is we’ve got 31 years of experience in this organization, and that’s seen throughout the industry as quite reputable.”
Ransom went on to say that the Country on the Bay festival is a way to put Dauphin on the map.
“It’s a different market, being able to showcase what we can do, and the talent that we have in Dauphin, and spreading out a bit,” said Ransom “We’re excited about the new partnership, and the new opportunities it will bring.”
The lineup for Country on the Bay includes Toby Keith, Terri Clark, Gord Bamford, High Valley, Hunter Brothers, The Roadhammers, The Reklaws, and The Washboard Union.
Pre-sale tickets are on sale today, and regular tickets go on sale tomorrow.
