The City of Grande Prairie has announced the winner of its local band challenge for the 100th Anniversary Homecoming Festival.
Country rock band The Bootleg Saints will be playing at the Crystal Centre August 2nd, alongside artists like Walk Off the Earth, Tom Cochrane with Red Rider and Fred Penner.
Drummer Lance Buffitt says he’s both surprised and honoured his band was chosen.
“We’re really happy. It’s a big event; I’m really, really humbled by it, to tell you the truth, because there’s a lot of good bands here. A lot of people don’t realize how much talent is here.”
Of the 16 applicants, there was a three-way tie for first place, which was broken by the Crystal Centre.
There’s good news for the other artists, however.
Homecoming Weekend Co-Chair Chris Thiessen says they’ll each get a spot on one of three stages at Muskoseepi Park during the August long weekend Homecoming Spectacular.
“No one’s a loser here. When you gather 16 different groups together in one room and tell them only one gets a gig, it’s kind of a disappointing process, but the joy of this is we have our Homecoming Spectacular that’s going on all August long weekend on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, so they’re going to get first crack at our stage.”
Tickets are still available at the Crystal Centre Box Office