Homegrown talent to headline Stonetown Heritage Festival

Two nights of entertainment at this year’s festival

Homegrown talent will be centre stage at this year’s Stonetown Heritage Festival, taking place Friday, July 13 and Saturday, July 14.

Saturday night’s iconic street dance will be headlined by St. Marys native “Darcy John” Scheuerman, whose upbeat mix of country, rock and pop will have Queen Street jumping in advance of the popular Rotary fireworks.

Darcy John currently lives in Nashville and is recording his first album. “I've had a dream since I was probably eight years old, watching Eddie and Edsels play the street dance, to do it one day myself,” he enthuses.

Darcy John had his first paying gig at the Creamery when he was 13. After stints with regional bands and performing on cruise ships, he relocated to Nashville and never looked back – unless it was to gaze fondly upon his hometown.

“It's actually a huge milestone for me,” he says of the headlining role. “I've done a lot of cool gigs, from performing at NASCAR events to playing all over Europe and the Middle East. All those shows were dreams of mine and this summer, in town, feels just like a NASCAR gig to me. It's really exciting!”

Hometown talent of a different sort kicks off the festival on Friday night at the Town Hall theatre. After opening ceremonies, the St. Marys Heritage Festival award will be presented to a deserving community member for their contributions to preserving our town’s history and culture. This award, given by Heritage St. Marys, returns to the festival after a 10-year absence.

Following the presentation, the crowd will welcome renowned jazz vocalist Jennifer Thorpe to the stage for a licensed concert. She will be backed by trio composed of local musicians.

The concert will be Thorpe’s first-ever performance in St. Marys after living here for nine years. She says, “I am very happy to be performing at the opening of the St Marys' Annual Stonetown Heritage Festival.  It's always an honour to perform in your home town."

Saturday will be filled with all the traditional downtown favourites, beginning with a delicious pancake breakfast at the St. Marys Farmers Market, then busker performances bouncy castles, hands-on activities, tempting vendors, the Downtown St. Marys BIA’s “Bring Your Own Picnic” and much more on Queen Street.

A focus on the Stonetown’s Thames River Roots is a new addition to this year’s festival. Stand-up paddleboarding lessons, a popular attraction at the Quarry, will be offered on Rice Lake at Milt Dunnell Field on Saturday morning. The festival’s popular and informative walking tours will also begin at the river this year, just as St. Marys did over 160 years ago.

Look for more exciting announcements on this St. Marys summertime staple as the festival approaches. In the meantime, sponsors and volunteers are needed to make this community event a success. For details, please contact Events Coordinator Andrea Macko at 519-284-2340, ext. 249 or amacko@town.stmarys.on.ca.

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Contact

Andrea Macko | Events Coordinator
519-284-2340, ext. 249 | amacko@town.stmarys.on.ca