Musical guests including the Jerry Doucette Band, The Simpson Brothers, Delta 88 and Lucidity will perform at the third annual Deltassist Christmas toy drive concert at the Tsawwassen Legion Saturday night.
A partnership between the Tsawwassen Legion and the Sun Fest Music Festival, the toy drive benefit is a great example of how local artists can give something back community. The bands are all familiar names, having performed at the Tsawwassen Sun Festival.
Doucette and Kenny Boychuck are organizing Saturday's show.
"It's for the kids," says Boychuck. "What better cause?"
Doucette agrees: "Having played Blues for Christmas for many years, I gotta say, the Deltassist toy drive has become something I really look forward to each year."
Doucette was honoured as the Sun Festival's Mentor of the Arts in 2009.
The Simpson Brothers, who have just returned from their national television debut on CBC's Cover Me Canada in Toronto, played the Sun Festival main stage as Grey Scale for two years running.
Well-known group Delta 88 was showcased in the Sun Fest Music Festival this past summer, one of 30 acts that played at eight different venues. Lucidity made its debut at the festival's skate-park stage.
Gaining a well-deserved reputation as the place to come see live music on the weekends, The Stage at the Tsawwassen Legion features many of the acts that play the Sun Fest Music Festival.
"It has become a great networking place for musicians to come together for the music jams, which are held again this year, moving to Thursday nights in the new year," says Terry Nylander, managing director of the facility.
The Tsawwassen Legion gives back to the community in many ways, one of which is a performance stage, which is now being equipped with a professional PA and lighting system.
"We kind of think of ourselves as the Yale Hotel South," says Nylander. "We are holding a three-night fundraiser Dec. 9, 10 and 11 to raise the last bit of money needed to complete the stage. I really hope people will come out to that event as well and contribute a few dollars. Tsawwassen Legion 289 is matching donations from the musicians and patrons, so drop by and throw a $20 into the bucket, it all goes toward the stage."
The Sun Fest Music Festival will benefit from the great work of the Tsawwassen Legion by using the facility to stage featured acts this coming year. Dave McIlroy, artistic director of the music festival, has some big plans for 2012.
"We have grown each year from the main stage at Winskill Park to a full series of shows throughout the community and now with the fabulous renovations at the Tsawwassen Arts Centre, we have yet another great venue to add to the list," says McIlroy.
"The toy drive demonstrates how the efforts of the summer's music festival spill over into other events throughout the year," he says. "Tsawwassen is becoming known for a community that really embraces the arts and culture."
McIlroy encourages people to celebrate the season, hear some incredible music and help families in need by attending Saturday's show, which gets underway at 6:30 p.m. at the Tsawwassen Legion, 22-1835-56th St.
There is no cover charge but a toy donation is strongly encouraged.
