- by Anne Finlay-Stewart, Editor
This afternoon Rob Gowan of the Owen Sound Sun Times published an article titled “Summertime Blues a no-go in 2019”, saying that the promoter had declined the $65,000+ Celebrate Ontario grant from the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport and cancelled the event.
Original story published onthe Owen Sound Hub Wednesday, May 29 There are far more questions than answers about the event that has received 82% of the province's Celebrate Ontario funding for Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound for 2019. The concert producer of Summertime Blues Music Festival is to receive $65,584.
According to a media release from the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport, Celebrate Ontario “supports festivals and events of all sizes to reach new audiences, improve the programs for visitors, benefit local economies and create new jobs.”
The City of Owen Sound applied for Celebrate Ontario funding for their second annual Harbourfest this year, an all-ages day-long event including free evening music in a licensed space on the east harbour wall. The event is scheduled for July 13 - the same weekend as Summertime Blues, according to the release. The City's application was not successful.
Two other local, community based events received funding. The Paisley Blues Festival this weekend, with concerts, art and free music lessons for young people, all benefiting Paisley Central School, will receive $2,597 - 1/25th of the cash the private promoter was awarded, presumably based on the "asks" in their applications.
Mr. Sharpe and his business “The Concert Factory” have presented three Summertime Blues Music Festivals in Owen Sound, featuring performers like April Wine, Blue Rodeo, Colin James, Buddy Guy and Matt Anderson. In each case the venue, expecting 2500 to 6000 ticket holders, was booked with the city by January of the concert year.
According to City officials, to date there is no signed rental contract or a facility/park use agreement for Summertime Blues 2019. This event would require such an agreement with a report to Council.
Last year's lineup was to include George Thorogood and Serena Ryder among others, but the event was moved from Kelso Beach to the Bayshore and then cancelled within ten days of the event “due to unforeseen and insurmountable logistical challenges”. The promoter reports that all tickets were refunded.
Although the preliminary Festival line-up has been announced as early as December in previous years, the website today – six weeks before the presumed festival date - merely says “See you in 2019”. Major sponsors, still listed on the website until they were removed earlier today, say they have not been contacted about 2019 sponsorship.
Richard Sharpe, according to his website, has presented over 2500 entertainment events. It took disappointed ticket holders five years to receive partial restitution from Mr. Sharpe and his firm “Next Presentations Canada” when his 2003 Watershed IV concert in Walkerton was cancelled and never re-scheduled. Next Presentations was convicted of 10 counts of using unfair business practices. In 2007 a judge rendered a $1.1 million judgement against Mr. Sharpe, after he had filed for bankruptcy, on behalf of the band Alabama citing "breach of contract and for defendant Sharpe's knowing, intentional, and false representations to plaintiffs”.
The offices of Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound MPP Bill Walker and the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport have not yet responded to a request for comment. We will be asking about the terms of such a grant in the event of changes in date or location, or cancellation of the event.