Latest news with #FrancoFEST
Hamilton Spectator
an hour ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Top Hamilton headlines this week: NCR ruling in patricide blindsides family + Their home demolished. Possessions gone. A family's ‘nightmare'
The weekend is here, but plenty happened in the Hamilton area this week. Don't miss these top stories from Spectator reporters. Summer is officially here and there are plenty of things to do outdoors. Head to the Arkells rally , try out FrancoFEST at Gage Park or celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day in Stoney Creek with a powwow. And there are plenty more things to do . It's going to be hot! A 'multiday heat event' is descending on the city, with temperatures peaking past 30 C on the thermometer that will feel much warmer with humidity. George Howson, a defenceless 73-year-old with Parkinson's disease, was killed by his stepson. Tim Brown was charged with second-degree murder in the 2021 slaying but was found not criminally responsible. Family members, long concerned about Tim's behaviour, say the case was rushed and the system failed. They're still fighting for answers. School photos. Family heirlooms. A guitar collection. Souvenirs from travels around the world. Even her parents' wedding rings. Those are just some of the things a central Hamilton family lost when their home was torn down in mid-April, due to construction next door. The city has closed the Birch Avenue leash-free dog park until further notice 'as a precautionary measure' over health concerns about dogs who visit the site. On paddle boards and without life-jackets in Lake Ontario, it could have ended badly for this duo. But after hours of drifting, two lucky women — blown out by heavy waves and wind — were saved by the Canadian Coast Guard, with help from Hamilton police. A Law Society Tribunal hearing for a lawyer charged with fraud spent 20 minutes suspending her licence and four hours discussing her desire to keep 1,500 pages of evidence secret. Subscribe to our newsletters for the latest local content . Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Hamilton Spectator
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
FrancoFEST, Something Else! Festival this weekend
Growing up, Mimi O'Bonsawin did not speak about her Indigenous background with her family. The singer, who's background is Abénaki First Nations, said the lack of conversation left a piece of her identity missing. Now, O'Bonsawin uses her music to reclaim her culture. 'It's a lifelong journey that I'm on with my sister and a bunch of family. I think music is such a powerful healer for that,' she said. The folk singer will play and sing alongside her husband, percussionist Ryan Schurman, at FrancoFEST's first day in Gage Park on Friday, June 20 at 8 p.m. This will be O'Bonsawin's second time playing the festival, and she has picked up accolades since her last performance in Hamilton. The folk artist recently won 'Artiste Solo' or 'Best Solo Artist' at the Ontario Francophone music awards Trille Or 2025. She received five nominations. On Friday, she will play music she described as 'rhythmic' and 'ethereal,' from her projects largely inspired by nature. 'Music and a connection to the land has always been a really strong force in my life ever since I was a kid,' said O'Bonsawin. 'For some reason, I can't separate the two.' O'Bonsawin is one act that reflects the three-day festival's new vision. Elyzabeth Walling, FrancoFEST's press relations officer, said a goal of the festival this year was to have more diversity. 'There is a strong accent put on having a community-building event and different voices are going to be heard,' she said. Acts include Sugar Crush, Diogo Ramos, Joyce N'Sana and Blynk. But music is not the only art to expect. There will also be aerial performances. The Hamilton Aerial Group will have two paired performances and three different performers on stilts, one of whom is Stephanie Davis. 'It's like a little bit of having a local Cirque du Soleil,' said Davis. Attendees can expect colourful props, illusions and made-in-Hamilton costumes. Davis has been performing on stilts for about eight years, since she first moved to Hamilton. 'Whether you have a mask on or you don't have a mask on, but you're in a costume, you can be in your character and it gives you a whole (other) way of connecting with people that I find delightful,' said Davis. The festival ends on Sunday, June 22. For the more than 6,000 attendees expected this year, O'Bonsawin has one goal — to get people on their feet. 'Open invitation to bring your dancing shoes,' said O'Bonsawin. For more information on FrancoFEST, go to . Rock cover band The Joe Rockhead Band will play The Block Co. on Saturday, June 21 from 8:30 to 11:30 p.m. The three-man band features Paul Kennedy on vocals and guitar, Ian Cole on bass and Kevin Lower on drums. The venue is located at 395 John St. in Burlington. Tickets are $15 on Eventbrite. Go to for details. Celebrate Pride month with Sounds Gay! Open Mic night on Thursday, June 26 from 7 to 10 p.m. The event happens at Mosaic, located at 431 Barton St. E. in Hamilton. An acoustic guitar and keyboard are provided. The entry fee is pay what you can in donations. For more details, go to . On Friday, June 20 from 6 to 9 p.m., Sidewalk Sounds will host its monthly music and entertainment performances event on Concession Street. This month's lineup includes rock 'n' roll band Sterling Stead, country singer-songwriter Shaylyn and pop singer Ava Hickey. There will also be a night market along the Concession Street sidewalk. For more details, go to . The Arkells will play Hamilton Stadium on Saturday, June 21. Tickets start at $73.25 on Ticketmaster. Go to for more details. Canadian blues stars Morgan Davis and Alec Fraser will be at The Coach and Lantern's Upper Coach on Saturday, June 21. The Escarpment Blues Society's show starts at 8 p.m. and doors open at 7 p.m. The venue is located at 384 Wilson St. E. in Ancaster. Tickets are $27.96, including fees, on Eventbrite. Go to . The 12th annual Something Else! Festival kicked off on Thursday, June 19. Free performances are being held at Hamilton Public Library's Central Branch and Open Streets' Wellington Street Hub at the King at Wellington bus stop. Ticketed events are at St. Cuthbert's at 2 Bond St. N. in Westdale. Acts include Andrew Downing, Matt Brubeck, Myra Melford and Earth Wind and Choir. For more information on the lineup and tickets, go to . Cheyenne Bholla is a reporter at The Hamilton Spectator. cbholla@
CBC
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Supercrawl and Because Beer among Hamilton festivals getting $605K boost from Ontario government
Thirteen festivals and events in Hamilton will get a boost this year with $605,000 extra from the provincial government. Well-known arts and music street festival, Supercrawl, will receive the largest grant at $125,000, said MPP Neil Lumsden, who represents Hamilton East-Stoney Creek, in a media release Tuesday. The Because Beer Festival, Winona Peach Festival and Hamilton Fringe Festival, among others, received $55,000 each. Smaller events such as FrancoFEST, the Re-enactment of the Battle of Stoney Creek and Boots in the Creek received $20,000. "These festivals and events are enjoyed by both residents and visitors, and they play an important role in strengthening our local economy – attracting tourists, supporting local businesses, and showcasing Hamilton as a dynamic cultural destination in the region," said Lumsden. The money was made available through 2025 Experience Ontario, a provincial program to help festivals and events grow and draw more visitors to the province and get them to stay longer. A total of $20 million was provided to 350 events across the province. A FrancoFEST organizer, Lanciné Koulibaly, previously told CBC Hamilton he is concerned the three-day event in June will see fewer people visiting from the U.S. because of the uncertain economy and trade war. FrancoFEST and Because Beer Festival also received federal loans announced last month. Hamilton festivals and events received the following amounts from the Ontario program: $20,000 for the Country Music Association of Ontario Festival, May 30 and June 1, venues across the city. $20,000 for the Re-enactment of the Battle of Stoney Creek, June 7-8, Battlefield House Museum and Park. $20,000 for FrancoFEST, June 20-22 at Gage Park. $55,000 for It's Your Festival, June 28-30 and July 1, Gage Park. $55,000 for Because Beer Festival, July 11-12 at Pier 4 Park. $55,000 for Hamilton Fringe Festival, July 16-27, venues across the city. $55,000 for Festival of Friends, TBD in August, Gage Park. $20,000 for Boots in the Creek 2025, Aug.15-16, downtown Stoney Creek. $20,000 for Dundas Cactus Festival, Aug. 15-17, across Dundas. $55,000 for Winona Peach Festival, Aug. 22-24 at Winona Park. $55,000 for Hamilton Day, Nov. 1-3, across the city. $50,000 for Hamilton Winterfest, dates TBD.
CBC
13-03-2025
- Business
- CBC
3 Hamilton festivals get loans from Ottawa to help in a year with tourism uncertainty
Three prominent Hamilton festivals — FrancoFEST, Because Beer, and Festitalia — are receiving loans worth $320,000 from the federal government to support their growth, attract more visitors and boost the local economy. The funding for these festivals is being provided by the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario) as part of its Tourism Growth Program. The funding was announced on March 7. While the financial support will help expand the events, some of the festival organizers are worried about the impact of ongoing tariff war, including a possible decline in U.S. attendance this year. Lanciné Koulibaly is director general of Centre Francophone Hamilton which runs FrancoFEST, an event serving the local Francophone community that has been running for more than 35 years. It takes place over three days in June. Koulibaly said despite the new funding, he feels worried about the year ahead. "We are expecting some decline in U.S. attendance, especially with the current economic climate and the tariff situation," he told CBC Hamilton this week. But the funds will help, he added, and allow FrancoFEST and other local festivals to make a bigger impact, particularly in attracting new audiences locally and creating economic opportunities for Hamilton's local businesses. FrancoFEST is expecting about 6,000 people this year, he said. Because Beer expanding to Guelph Meanwhile, Tim Potocic, founder of Sonic Unyon Records which runs the Because Beer Craft Beer Festival, is hoping a favourable exchange rate of the Canadian dollar could encourage U.S. visitors. The funding will allow his team to expand the festival into Guelph, in addition to Hamilton, and to "enhance the overall experience," said Potocic, whose team also runs Supercrawl and event space Bridgeworks. Because Beer, which first launched in 2014, is expecting about 10,000 people to attend in Hamilton this year — it runs at Pier 4 Park in July — and another 3,000-5,000 in Guelph. However, Potocic emphasized, funding awarded to the festivals is not a grant but a repayable loan. The $185,000 Because Beer received has a two-year repayment plan starting in January 2027, he said. Both Potocic and Koulibaly said that their team had applied for a higher amount but are happy with what they received. FrancoFest is receiving $38,500 and Festitalia $100,000. "It's allowing us to finance an expansion at a higher level than I would have been able to on my own," Potocic said. CBC Hamilton reached out to the organizers of Festitalia, which celebrates 50 years this year during a two-expo in June, but did not receive a response before publication.
