Vol. 134
A LOOK INSIDE
Thursday, June 12, 2014
Issue No. 23
25th McGregor Music Festival draws big crowd
Essex pursuing outdoor smoke free initiatives PAgE 2 ________________ Public input sought for multi-year accessibility plan PAgE 3 ________________ Cottam walks for the troops PAgE 11 ________________ Future campers host car wash fundraiser PAgE 13 ________________ Cottam Yard Sale PAgE 16 ________________ Drouillard, Ravens make it two straight PAgE 28 ________________
Looking For A Good Home
“SPAZ” See Page 7 for adoption info.
Brand X brought their music to the festival.
by Fred Groves Twenty-five years may mark a silver anniversary but the music coming out of Co-An Park in McGregor on Sunday was solid gold. For 10 hours, seven bands from across Windsor-Essex struck up some sweet sounds at the 25th annual McGregor Music Festival. “We have the same bands every year, they want to do it. They contact us. It’s quality music,” said festival chairperson Sue LeClair. Yes the music was great and a lot of people were up dancing in the pavilion but the main reason
they were there, as they have been for two-and-a-half decades, was to raise money for the Windsor-Essex County Cancer Centre Foundation. “I think everyone here has been hit by cancer in some form,” said LeClair. Many of the volunteers had nametags that either said a family member or a friend had passed away from cancer. In total, there are over 60 volunteers including 10 committee members that make the event a success. Trying to come up with new ways to bring the crowd out may be tough, but not for those who put on the McGregor Music
Festival. “You go year-by-year. We just try and make it better. We have local bands and a faithful
crowd,” said LeClair. While the number of participants for the car show was limited due to threatening weather early in the day, there were a few decorated golf carts that went home with prizes. Raffles once again helped boost the tally on the day but the pig auction was the highlight and within a few minutes, $1,000 was raised from that alone. A freezer, a barbecue and $200 worth of pork was on the line. The day’s entertainment started out with C2C Entertainment and the County BarberShoppers and included bands Bad Mustache and Brand X. While the amount raised on Sunday won’t be known for a few days, LeClair said that over the past 25 years, they have raised well over $200,000.