Intimate St. Andrews winter festival offers ‘warm & cozy’ atmosphere for music lovers.
The eighth annual Winter Warmer Festival will take place next weekend January 27-29, 2017 in the seaside community of St. Andrews, New Brunswick. This year’s event welcomes ten performing acts with eight performances taking place across six different festival venues including the famous Algonquin Hotel, Salty Towers B&B and Honeybeans Café.
Originally conceived as a house concert festival, Winter Warmer soon became focused on bringing performances into many of the town’s smaller venues while working to embrace the intimacy associated with enjoying a live performance in non-traditional spaces.
“I just thought it would be good to have something happening in the winter in the way of a music festival,” said organizer and long-time St. Andrews arts supporter Jamie Steel. “They seemed to becoming all the rage six or seven years ago with events like In The Dead of Winter, Shivering Songs, and Sackville’s Stereophonic. A diversity of events are needed in winter just as in summer, and events that encourage folks to get out and share an experience. We want folks to know that St Andrews is great in winter too.”
Steel also believes that as much as it is important for any community to remain active in during the winter months, providing opportunities for artists to perform with others outside their region helps fuel potential partnerships and new creative endeavors.
“I am a fan of songwriters and like to provide opportunities for some of our own to interact with folks from away,” he said. “Sometimes it can help artists from both sides in regards to touring and possible collaborations, so it all fits.”
This year’s lineup features a wealth of talented and award-winning East Coast performers. Folk artists like Jessica Rhaye, Dylan Menzie and Dwayne Doucette join a varied roster that includes Isaac & Blewett, the Saint John String Quartet, and JUNO nominated folk/rock performer Mo Kenney.
Australian musician Liz Stringer will make her New Brunswick debut as part of this year’s lineup, with her Winter Warmer performance the first in a twelve date jaunt through the Maritimes, Quebec and Ontario. Stringer has performed at every major Australian music festival and has spent time writing and performing in Canada, Germany, the US and England.
Winter Warmer Festival | St. Andrews, NB | January 27-29, 2017 | Tickets and Passes available at www.winterwarmerfestival.ca
