Lying on the outskirts of Hamilton, ON, the community of Dundas doesn't exactly crop up in national music news very often. That's about to change, since legendary producer and songwriter Daniel Lanois has announced plans to host a star-studded festival near the town this summer.
The event will take place on August 27 just outside of Dundas at Christie Lake Conservation Area. Dubbed the Harvest Picnic, it will feature performances from Emmylou Harris, Ray LaMontagne, Gord Downie and the Country of Miracles, and Lanois himself, among others.
What makes this festival unique is that it will emphasize food and local culture as much as the music. It includes horticultural displays, a farmers' market and, most remarkable of all, a trout pond for fishing. The event's website dubs it "a celebration of music, art, local produce, local people in a local paradise."
As for what inspired this fusion of food and music, Lanois told the Globe and Mail, "The idea is to remind ourselves what we have available to us without having to travel too far. It's about rebuilding our minds a little bit so we can pay a bit more respect to what's happening in our own backyards."
This is the first instalment of what is planned to be an annual event. Tickets cost $59.50, and they will be available from Ticketmaster on Saturday (April 30). The festival's full website will launch that same day.
The event will take place on August 27 just outside of Dundas at Christie Lake Conservation Area. Dubbed the Harvest Picnic, it will feature performances from Emmylou Harris, Ray LaMontagne, Gord Downie and the Country of Miracles, and Lanois himself, among others.
What makes this festival unique is that it will emphasize food and local culture as much as the music. It includes horticultural displays, a farmers' market and, most remarkable of all, a trout pond for fishing. The event's website dubs it "a celebration of music, art, local produce, local people in a local paradise."
As for what inspired this fusion of food and music, Lanois told the Globe and Mail, "The idea is to remind ourselves what we have available to us without having to travel too far. It's about rebuilding our minds a little bit so we can pay a bit more respect to what's happening in our own backyards."
This is the first instalment of what is planned to be an annual event. Tickets cost $59.50, and they will be available from Ticketmaster on Saturday (April 30). The festival's full website will launch that same day.
