Our festival kick-off show will feature an album release performance by Fredericton's Free to grow

Black Suit Devil at 7 PM

Noelle Frances at 7:45 PM

Josh Ritchie at 8:20 PM

Free to Grow at 9 PM

Advanced tickets $10/At the door $15/Free with festival pass

Available soon

Formed in 2014, Fredericton’s Free to Grow won the Stingray Rising Star Award at the Fredericton Harvest Festival in 2015. Our songwriter was the recipient of the 2023 JL Music Composer Award.

 

The band has performed at over 40 festivals/events/venues throughout New Brunswick including in Bathurst, Miramichi, Moncton, Sussex, Gagetown, Fredericton, Saint John and Saint Andrews. Our original rock music is heavily influenced by “classic rock” and our songs have charted in the UK, France, Germany, Spain, South Africa, Australia and the US and Canada. We have released 3 full length studio albums plus a live album and a fourth studio album is being released on June 5.

Josh Ritchie is a born performer. Ever since he could stand he's had a guitar in his hands and songs in his bones. Now a captivating performer, Ritchie commands the stage with the confidence of a seasoned front man. From the minute the kid walks on stage it’s obvious he was meant to be there, serving audiences larger-than-life, stadium-rock energy at every show.

 Ritchie describes himself as an “impressionist singer-songwriter,” likening the principles of his craft to those of the impressionist painters of the19th century. He doesn’t spoon-feed you a linear story but rather makes an impression of a feeling or a memory, creating a unique connection with each and every listener. His music is both ambitious, bold and big enough to fill a whole room but at the same time technical and refined when you take a closer look.

 As a young and ambitious person of colour, Ritchie quickly became fascinated with the relationship between art and activism. Growing up, he was influenced by bands and artists that weren’t afraid to make a statement with their art and he strives to do the same himself. In 2021 Ritchie put this into practice releasing a self-titled EP about his experiences growing up BIPOC in rural Ontario.

 His second studio album Love at the End of the World, which further explored these themes, had a sold out launch event at Lee’s Palace in Toronto and went on to obtain attention throughout North America through such outlets as The CBC, Cashbox Radio, Canadian Beats, Record World International, Volatile Weekly and many more.

Noelle Frances is a folk singer-songwriter, harmonizer, creative collaborator currently living in Deshkan Ziibi/ London ON. 

Inspired by the storytelling that exists in the diverse genre of folk music Noelle writes in a way that is simple, honest and quick to connect to. Noelle is a witty and charismatic performer who draws in the audience with her joy. She meshes a lighthearted presence and stage banter with emotionally charged, uplifting and sometimes haunting songs. Lyrically she taps into the angst and beauty of life. Each song has a soul and largely speaks to the resiliency of human beings. 

Noelle is part of a self managed, internationally touring band “The Pairs” and also performs as a solo act. Noelle has opened for acts like Irish Mythen, Kim Churchill, Kellie Loder, Jim Bryson, and The Brown Hawking Stanley Trio. With The Pairs Noelle has had the opportunity to play many iconic folk festivals like Mariposa, Summerfolk, Hillside, Calgary Folk Fest, Rocky Mountain Folks Fest, and many more!