Sign up for the paNOW newsletter

Country at the Creek ready for another year

Jun 18, 2015 | 7:46 AM

Country at the Creek is back for its fourth year this weekend at the Ness Creek Festival Site, 20 kilometres northeast of Big River.

Event co-ordinator Jeanette Wicinski-Dunn said they have a great country line-up for Friday and Saturday.

She said they have a lot of Saskatchewan talent for the festival, which includes Donny Parenteau headlining on Saturday night.

“We switched things up a little bit. We’re going a little off the country side for Friday night, our headliner Friday night is Nick Gilder and Sweeney Todd. It’s kind of exciting to have something other than country.”

This is the first time the festival has brought in a non-country group.

“It was actually Nick Gilder who contacted me and asked to play the festival. I posted it on Facebook just to see what kind of response I got and it was a good response with everyone saying ‘yes.’”

Wicinski-Dunn said they figured Friday night would be the best night for Gilder to perform.

She said it’s just a different way to attract a few more people to the festival.

“I’ve had lots of compliments on the entertainment that we do put on stage. This year we’re bring a band out of Ohio so that’s different for us to bring a band out of country. He’s actually the Number 1 tribute in the world for Hank Williams Sr. So we’re looking forward to David Church performing on Saturday.”

Church has never performed in Saskatchewan and will place Saturday night at 6 p.m.

Saskatchewan acts will include Stephanie Lloyd from Debden, Kelsey Fitch from Shellbrook and Brody Siebert from Spiritwood.

“So we really have drawn within sort of that 150 miles radius of us here. We’re just hoping to get local support from communities around us.”

Wicinski-Dunn said the festival keeps growing and they’ve gotten to a point where she doesn’t have to reach out to artists because they’re reaching out to the festival.

“[Artists] have heard really good things about our festival and entertainers talk amongst themselves. They’re calling me now so that’s a good thing, it’s time consuming to go through the bands you always want a mix of music because we have ages from one to 90 there so you really have to try and accommodate the music likes for those ages of people.”

Another young artist who will be performing is 17-year-old Naomi Bristow.

She is the youth yodeling champion of Canada, and has released seven CDs already. She has recorded with artists Vince Gill and the late Jim Ed Brown.

“She plays lots down in the States, she is such a sweetheart. This year we have guy coming out of Edmonton to do a story on her for the Canadian Country Cowboy Magazine. It’s exciting because he’s going to be doing a lot of publicity for Country at the Creek.”

The festival will also feature a Star Search competition on Saturday at 12 p.m.

Wicinski-Dunn said they held auditions in the spring for the competition.

She said most of the artists who audition are usually younger artists just getting a feel for the music industry and wanting to try a smaller stage.

The winner will get to open for the headliner on Saturday.

“We’re really excited … we’ve been out at the site all week prepping and it’s looking pretty good out there and we’re ready now for people to come and join us,” Wicinski-Dunn said.

Anyone looking for more information can call 306-469-7958 or email countryatthecreek@sasktel.net

Wicinski-Dunn said ticket sales are going well and they’re expecting a crowd of around 500 people this weekend.

“We’re hoping the weather holds out for us. We haven’t had good weather the last two years so it’s our turn to get good weather,” Wicinski-Dunn said.

Tickets are available at Canadian Tire in Prince Albert, can be picked up at the gate, they can be bought online or by calling 1-866-943-8849.

Tickets for the whole weekend are $110 or tickets for just Friday are $50 and $70 for Saturday

Line-up at Country at the Creek

Friday’s Line-up

4 p.m. Tilly and the Billy Goats

5 p.m. Stephanie Rose

6 p.m. Embla

7 p.m. Trick Ryder

8 p.m. Naomi Bristow

9 p.m. Nick Gilder & Sweeney Todd

Beer Garden’s Band: Brody Siebert & Thirty Aught Six

Saturday’s Line-up

11 a.m. Layton Ferster

12 p.m. Star Search Competition

1:30 p.m. Carla Gear and Daylin Arial

2 p.m. Stephanie Rose

3 p.m. Larry Krause

4 p.m. Trail Dust

5 p.m. Naomi Bristow

6 p.m. David Church (#1 Tribute to Hank Williams Sr.)

8 p.m. Kelsey Fitch

9 p.m. Donny Parenteau

Beer Garden’s Band: The Big River Boys

swallace@panow.com

On Twitter: @sarahthesquid