By Ross Kinney
The countdown begins!
We are counting down the days to the festival – July 17-19! Posters are being put up, tickets are selling, downtown windows will be painted, and there’s a buzz in the summer air. We hope you are planning with friends and family to take in some of the action coming to town.
Nightly ticketed events feature acts like Adam Baldwin, Rankin MacInnis, Dee Hernandez, Comic Sutra Comedy, Waylon Napadogan, and many more. But make sure to check out the free downtown performances on Saturday morning and afternoon. King Street becomes pedestrian-only, and the fun lasts all day!
Bring the kids to see Mr. Mark, an energetic and hilarious music maker with a trunk full of instruments. Watch Jesse Campbell dazzle with magic tricks and sleight of hand. Listen to Duncan Rowan Ireland perform his hand-sewn storybook scroll. See stiltsAcadie tower above the crowd in their colourful costumes. Hear performances by Leandra Gold or Andrew Moore, masters of their craft. Get your face painted!
There really is something for everyone.
On Saturday, community groups and organizations will also host activities for all ages. It’s a great place to bring budding young artists or anyone with a creative spirit. On Friday, take part in the kids’/teens’ art battle!
Visit the Thompson Gallery in the L.P. Fisher Library to see Chris Donovan’s Cloud Factory exhibit, recently on display at the National Gallery of Canada. Chris is a photojournalist whose work regularly appears in The New York Times and The Globe and Mail.
Dooryard is pleased to partner with River Valley Film Circuit to bring Do I Know You From Somewhere? to Woodstock’s Atlantic Cinemas on July 20. This feature-length film is created by a production team, cast, and crew full of NB artists and designers, including music by Woodstock’s Zachary Greer. It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and has recently sold out Cineplexes across the Maritimes.
This brings us to the end of our Dooryard Drop-In column. Thank you to all who have read along. And thank you to everyone who attended the Connell House Series and made those events such a success! We recommend visiting Dari Delite for its Sunday music nights this summer.
Before we sign off, we must acknowledge the passing of Jim Dumville, a tremendous friend to the festival. In many ways, the Dooryard Arts Festival would not be what it is today without Jim’s reporting and encouragement from the very beginning. He never missed a Dooryard. In 2019, our tenth year, we were pleased to recognize him and his work.
With Jim’s permission, this year, we invite the community to be “Jim For A Day” at Dooryard 2025. Just like Jim did, you are encouraged to attend an event, take a picture, and share your story. We will collect these under the hashtag #JimForADay. Make sure to bring your biggest smile.
Tickets and passes are available at Newnham & Slipp Pharmacy in downtown Woodstock or online at dooryardfestival.com
