A three-day outdoor concert scheduled for Harriston from June 13 to 15 featuring major country music stars, including Reba McEntire, is being moved indoors and won’t be happening anywhere in Minto.
A statement was posted last week on the Saugeen Summer Nights (SSN)website announcing the changes.
“After extensive discussions regarding weather conditions, production concerns and logistical issues, the producers of SSN 2013, in association with artists’ management, have regretfully made the extremely difficult decision to move this year’s entire event indoors. This move will create the best possible show experience for fans and artists,” the statement reads.
“Dates and location of the new venues will be announced shortly. Please check www.saugeensummernights.com for details. We would like to thank the [Town of Minto], all staff and volunteers who have worked tirelessly and diligently to assist with this year’s event.”¨Refunds available at point of purchase.”
The Town of Minto had been gearing up for a three-day event that was expected to attract up to 15,000 people per day to the Harriston fairgrounds. A number of community groups and organizations had signed on to help operate parking lots in return for a share of parking proceeds.
“I think everyone is disappointed,” Minto CAO Bill White told the Advertiser on June 3. White said the town was advised of the changes via email on May 28.
“I think we got the same email that was sent out to [others],” said White. After “further conversations,” with promoter Richard Sharpe of The Concert Factory, White said the town confirmed the event would not be held anywhere in Minto.
“I believe they’re looking at larger indoor venues, arenas…” White said, noting that no local hockey arenas could hold more than 1,000 to 1,500 people “unless you set up some stands.”
White suggested the promoters may be looking at venues in larger centres such as Guelph or Kitchener.
“We need a large arena, that is the only reason we are not utilizing Minto,” Sharpe confirmed in a June 3 email to the Advertiser. In the email, Sharpe addressed the question of what impact the changes would have on the lineup of artists for the event.
“Our goal is the same lineup with additions,” he stated.
Sharpe said he regretted the “business decision” to move the concert indoors, but it was necessary.
“To be clear this was not my decision. As a matter of fact, I strongly objected to any change,” Sharpe wrote. “However, with that said, I respect this strictly as a business decision which, as it turns out, was the right decision. The long range weather forecast is not good and weather has and will affect tickets sales with this demographic which, in the end, could result in substantial financial loss which no one can be expected to take.”
While local businesses and service groups will miss the spin-off economic activity the concert was expected to generate, White said the municipality will not be out of pocket.
“The way it was set up it was a straight rental,” said White, adding the promoter met his obligation to provide a $5,000 non-refundable deposit for the venue rental. “I think council set it up in such a way that it could succeed or not succeed on its own merits and we have some money to cover our expenses,” White explained.
This is the second consecutive summer a Saugeen Summer Nights concert has been moved from Harriston. A 2012 concert was originally scheduled for the fairgrounds at the Harriston Community Centre, June 22 to 24, featuring a mix of rock, Christian rock and country acts.
On June 4, the promoter announced the concert would be postponed until the Labour Day weekend and moved to Clifford, the site of an SSN concert in 2011. In August, The Concert Factory announced the event was being postponed until the summer of 2013.
No further information was available at press deadline.
