 Shelley Chase and Stacey Read started Levee on the Lake as a response to the COVID lockdown in the summer of 2020. That first season was a series of three concerts on Silver Lake where, in keeping with social distancing mandates, attendees paddled up to the stage in their own water crafts. From those imaginative and humble beginnings, the Levee has evolved into a four day weekend festival.
I sat down with Artistic Director Shelley to dive into the offerings of this home-grown festival and how, with two main stages; six concerts; two food events; and thirteen workshops, the Levee on the Lake aims to engage and entertain audiences and champion New Brunswick artists. Shelley described the genesis of the project during the first summer of the Covid pandemic:
“We started in a very strange time while everything was shuttering as far as stages and cultural activities. We started in the summer of 2020 and it’s so weird to think about that, but it was an emergency measure. It was a response to the situation because as touring musicians, myself and co-founder, Stacy Reed, had made our living, for most of our professional lives, exporting and as touring musicians and ourselves and our friends and colleagues in the cultural industries, couldn’t do that.”
“So many people we knew lived in New Brunswick but didn’t actually gain our (sic) income from New Brunswick. We exported to other music scenes and other festivals. So we started doing that to shine the light on some of the insecurities for cultural workers. And that is still the case.”
“At the heart of it, we want to raise the profile of New Brunswick artists. And we do that by featuring them, but also by inviting our colleagues and other provinces to perform alongside us. So that’s the thrust of it. It’s always been very artist centered. But then of course the byproduct is we’re producing these lovely shows that everybody gets to benefit from.So it has become a bigger, community offering than it was originally intended. It’s just lovely to see the community respond in the way that they have and other new Brunswickers come and make the trip to Sackville to see what’s happening around the lake.”
Shelley defines a a folk festival as presenting the music of the people. Celtic, indigenous, bluegrass, country, singer-songwriter with a little bit of rock thrown in and everything in between. She says there is something for everybody, that the essence of a true folk festival is where you go and see four very different bands in the lineup.
The only free event that requires a ticket, because of the high demand and capacity, is the Heather Rankin Silver Lake Sessions with the Magpies on Sunday night. Children’s events are free and do not require a ticket. There are thirteen workshops offered this year and those interested are asked to register on the website to guarantee their place.
Shelley speaks in glowing terms about the generosity of granting bodies, corporate sponsors and local individual and business donors.
“I can’t say enough about the philanthropy. They’re all listed on our website and on the signs around the event. People are very generous and that is how we are able to do so much free cultural programming. And a huge amount of that comes. directly from the residents of Tantramar and the business owners of Tantramar”
The sixth season of Levee on the Lake runs from Thursday, Sept. 11th to Sunday, Sept. 14th.
All tickets are purchased through Eventbrite and can be accessed on the Levee on the Lake website:
