Campbell's Bay, Que. celebrates community builder with a music festival
The community of Campbell's Bay, Que. is filled with the sounds of local musicians this weekend.
The 'Get Together, Thank You' tribute event was organized by former mayor and community builder Cletus Ferrigan to celebrate the local musicians who performed online for free during the pandemic.
"He had been watching them all and just really appreciated that they were giving their time for free, playing music online," says Tim Ferrigan, Cletus's son and Campbell's Bay councillor.
Sadly, Cletus Ferrigan was not able to see his tribute event come to life, passing away from cancer in April at the age of 79.
Unsure if his dad's vision would still come to life following his passing, the acts set to perform changed their tune; instead dedicating the weekend concert to Ferrigan and all the effort he has put into the community since the age of 14.
"They all unanimously said they wanted to be here to pay tribute to Cletus," Tim tells CTV News. "And they made it clear they wanted to continue to come for this weekend."
Over two dozen performers from the Ottawa Valley and beyond made the trip to Campbell's Bay for the weekend at their own expense to play the show for free.
"I didn't know Cletus until he became a fan online and he reached out to me," said Doug Smith, a performer from Arnprior, known as the Canadian Troubadour.
"He said, 'Doug I've got to have you out to Campbell's Bay.' And I said, 'Oh, I'd love too."
For those who know Ferrigan, it has been an emotional weekend.
"The town just feels empty when we have a function like this going on and you don't see his presence," says Louis Smith, a former Campbell's Bay councillor.
"I don't think there is any words that you could actually say," says Smith. "He was just an enthusiast, he was a promoter. He was just an all in all guy."
"He was still organizing this event from his hospital room before he passed away," says Tim Ferrigan.
"And he made the declaration that the show must go on."
The tribute concert kicked off late Friday afternoon in Mural Park in Campbell's Bay and wraps up Saturday night, with the final act taking the stage at 10:30 p.m.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
More than half the Canadians once detained in Syrian camps for suspected ISIS family members have returned home
A total of 29 Canadians have been freed from detention camps in northeast Syria and brought back to Canada since human rights advocates began lobbying for their release years ago.
Rare severe solar storm Friday could bring spectacular aurora light show across Canada
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.
Amish youth experience a rite of passage called Rumspringa. It’s not what you might think
The idea of “Rumspringa” has a specific spot in the American imagination. A rite of passage for young people in some Amish communities, Rumspringa is seen by most outsiders as a wild time away from strict Amish rules, when teenagers can experiment with the modern vices of the world.
Djokovic needs medical attention after getting knocked on the head by a water bottle at Italian Open
Novak Djokovic needed medical attention after apparently getting knocked on the head by a water bottle after a win at the Italian Open on Friday.