September Seventh Entertainment Limited and Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation are proud to present Feist, Emmylou Harris, Daniel Lanois, Gord Downie and The Sadies, Sarah Harmer, Mix Master Mike, Jesse Cook, Brady L. Blade, Sr. and the Hallelujah Train and more live at the 2012 Greenbelt Harvest Picnic on Saturday September 1st at Christie Lake Conservation Area in Dundas, Ontario. Gates open at 11AM and show starts at 12PM. The event serves to create awareness for local farmers and the eat local movement.
Feist will headline this year’s edition of the Greenbelt Harvest Picnic. Her latest album, Metals, was released in October 2011 and met with critical acclaim including being called the #1 album of the year by the New York Times and Artist of the Year at the Juno's. Daniel Lanois, who co-curates the festival, was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame earlier this year. Lanois is currently working on a solo album for release in the Spring of 2013 as well as a soundtrack project for acclaimed film director Terrance Malick. Lanois’ production career began with the founding of local and legendary Grant Avenue Studio and gained industry accolades through his work with ambient innovator Brian Eno and U2.
Music lovers in attendance at last year’s Greenbelt Harvest Picnic will be pleased to know that 12-Time Grammy Award winner, Emmylou Harris will be returning to perform again this year. Harris, a song writing legend, expressed her interest in coming back in 2012 while on stage last year. Greenbelt Harvest Picnic producer, Jean-Paul Gauthier, stated, “It is a great honour to have Emmylou back and I know her fans will be very excited.”
Gord Downie, front man and lyricist of Canada’s best known rock band, The Tragically Hip, returns with a performance with Canadian indie rock band, The Sadies. Songwriter Sarah Harmer, co-founder of PERL (Protecting Escarpment Rural Land), which serves to protect parts of the Niagara Escarpment in the northern region of her native Burlington also returns to this year’s festival.
New additions to this year’s line up include Mix Master Mike, one of the greatest DJs of all time and who is best known for his work with the Beastie Boys. Mix Master Mike met Adam Yauch at the Rock Steady Anniversary Jam in NYC in 1994. The two exchanged numbers and Mike often left crazy scratch messages on Adam's answering service. Fellow Beasties Mario C and Mike D caught on to his scratch message craze and in 1997 requested Mike's studio work for their multi-platinum album Hello Nasty. Soon after completion of Hello Nasty's recording, the Beastie Boys made Mike their resident DJ.
Brady L. Blade, Sr. and the Hallelujah Train bring the soulful bellows and melodies of Pastor Brady L. Blade, Sr. who has been lifting up parishioners at the Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Shreveport, Louisiana for the past 51 years. Blade hosted the Hallelujah Train TV show in the Late 70’s. The show aired on Sunday mornings and was considered the religious version of Soul Train. Hallelujah Train aired on KSLA, a CBS affiliated station. Blade will be accompanied by his son, Brian Blade, a longtime musical collaborator of Daniel Lanois.
Jesse Cook will be performing in support of his latest studio project, “The Rumba Foundation”. For this latest recording, Cook wanted to trace rumba flamenco back to its roots in Cuba. Ultimately, his instincts lead him to collaborate with Los Gaiteros de San Jacinto and record in Bogota, Colombia. “The Rumba Foundation” will premier in Los Angeles via the prominent jazz station, The Wave, on September 25th.
Additional musical guests will be announced in the coming weeks.
The Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation has partnered with September Seventh Entertainment for the second year to bring the Greenbelt Harvest Picnic to southern Ontario. Spanning over 1.8 million acres, the Greenbelt is home to forests, wetlands, farms and green space.
As a leader in supporting local food, the Foundation has provided numerous grants that are helping farmers to flourish in the Greenbelt. The Foundation is also engaged in the arts, having created “the Quilt of Possibilities” with the Ontario Crafts Council, showcased photography at the successful Harbourfront Centre exhibit “Beyond imaginings” and have even awarded one of the artists lined up for the festival, Sarah Harmer, as a “Friend of the Greenbelt” for her work in protecting the Niagara Escarpment.
"The Foundation supports everyone from farmers to artists, which is why this partnership makes sense," said Foundation President, Burkhard Mausberg. “We feel privileged to have our message supported by this impressive group of artists.”
Ontario’s Greenbelt is over 1.8 million acres of green space, farmland, vibrant communities, forests, wetlands, and watersheds – all permanently protected by world-leading legislation. In return, the Greenbelt gives back much to Ontario, $9.1 billion in economic benefits and $2.6 billion in ecosystem services annually.
The Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation works to help farmers in the Greenbelt be more successful; to protect and enhance natural features; and to strengthen local economies. For more information about the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation, please visit www.greenbelt.ca.
Christie Lake is a natural paradise, boasting 830 acres of hiking trails, picnic areas, fishing ponds and beaches. The Greenbelt Harvest Picnic is designed to raise awareness about the importance of the region’s local conservation lands, the arts, local agriculture and home gardening. Concert goers will also be able to enjoy a local farmers market, horticultural workshops, art vendors, food and beverage areas, fishing, swimming and good old fashioned picnicking.
Tickets will be available online at www.ticketmaster.ca, all Ticketmaster outlets or by calling 1-855-872-5000 beginning Saturday May 26th at 11AM. Tickets can also be purchased at Picks and Sticks, located at 140 Locke Street South in Hamilton or at Dr. Disc located at 20 Wilson Street in Hamilton. Tickets will also be available at Christie Lake on show day only (subject to availability). For more information, please visit www.harvestpicnic.ca .