Raymond Music Festival 2023 announces line-up

Posted on August 11, 2023 by admin

By Erika Mathieu
Westwind Weekly News

With a diverse lineup of live bands, local talent, food trucks, and more, this year’s festival is shaping up to be an unforgettable experience for music enthusiasts of all ages. Set to take place on Aug. 19 from 12-11 p.m. at Victoria Sports Park, the Raymond Music Festival 2023 promises a family-friendly day of live music, food trucks, and vendors.

From energizing rock to soulful melodies, the festival’s lineup will have plenty of acts to cater to a wide range of musical preferences.

This year, attendees will have the opportunity to revel in the talents of the lineup which includes Annora, Bruce Peterson and Ranahan, Good Company, Circle Ridge Country, Kyle Bischke and Jalen Wilde, and Local Flamenco guitarist, Dale Ketcheson will also be performing. The Serenata ladies group from Magrath will perform, accompanied by Mark Mitchell. Rasmusson praised the group of singers and said, “they are more than just a choir.” The Lethbridge Battle of Bands’ second place winners, Jam Nuts will be in attendance as will Magrath’s own Good Company, and local to Raymond, “Saints and Sinners”. Local high school rockers of the band Abracadabra will perform in the evening, as well as the heavier rock band, “SI”.

The upcoming festival will also serve as a platform to showcase the impressive talents of the local community. Attendees can anticipate a full day of original, live music. Supporting these emerging talents helps to nurture the local music scene and independent artists. 

In addition to offering a stage to bands, it made sense to create a space for vocalists without a band to perform onstage. 

“There are a lot of local singers who don’t perform with a band,” and added the festival provides the opportunity for singers to perform live with a band. 

“The show provides an opportunity for local talent to experience a larger stage and have live

music backing.” 

“This year will be the most variety we’ve had yet” said Rasmussen. Among the performers scheduled to perform at the festival is is Annora Bourgault, known by her stage name Annora. The singer-songwriter hails from Saskatchewan and released her debut album “The Ocean” in 2020. Annora was crowned Miss World Canada in 2014, and went on to represent Canada at the Miss World 2014 pageant in London at age 21. Annora plays the guitar and piano, and her music intersects jazz, country and folks genres.

Rasmussen said the organizers were pleasantly surprised Annora would be performing, and said overall the caliber of all the artists in the lineup is “really impressive.” The 2023 festival will hear from a number of country artists but attendees can also expect mellow tunes and easy listening, with some heavier rock and metal bands scheduled later in the day, as well as rap artist TDuggie who will hit the stage to perform original works.

Tickets for the full day of festivities will be available for purchase at the gate. For adults, a single ticket costs $15. Seniors, students, and youth aged 17 and under can enjoy the festival at a discounted rate of $10. Family household passes are also available for $40, allowing families to enjoy the festival together. With tickets valid for the entire day, attendees can fully immerse themselves in the musical performances local talent and vendors in attendance.

The Raymond Music Festival 2023 is set to be an exciting celebration of music, community, and local talent.  Get ready to tap your feet along and enjoy some southern Alberta hospitality and celebrate local artists and live music on Aug. 19. For more information and to follow along with updates, visit the Raymond Music Festival Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/raymondmusicfestival where you can find up-to-date information on show times and the complete lineup.

“There is a lot of musical talent hidden in Alberta, and in our little communities too, and it has been amazing to see the courage of some of these musicians come out. You can tell some have never been on a stage before but they just shine. They practice and rehearse and its almost like a local version of America’s got talent. It’s just great to see local talent get up and share what they have done,” added Rasmusson.