The Dusty Drifters put on a great show Saturday afternoon at the Galop Canal Bluegrass Festival. The band members from Ottawa and Kemptville came together to play some great music. Left to right: Brent Weatherall, Giles LeClerc, Paul Roberto, Stuart Rutherford, and Anthony Bacon. Morin Photo

IROQUOIS – Summer had a warm introduction this year with the Iroquois Bluegrass Festival up at the Iroquois Locks on June 16-18.

The annual and anticipated event had been sidelined by Covid for the past two years.

This summer, the festival returned with ten all Canadian bluegrass bands from across Canada.

There were approximately 20-30 volunteers that made the event happen, 158 trailers with bluegrass fans parked up at the Locks.

Overall attendance for the three-day festival was 627. Organizers said the festival could not have been as successful as it was without the generosity of their sponsors and the small army of volunteers.

Mary Lussier speaking on behalf of the Galop Canal Bluegrass Festival Committee said, “I cannot say enough about what a pleasure it is to be involved with such a wonderful organization as the Galop Canal Bluegrass Festival.

She said that people do not realize how much work goes into the festival.

The Iroquois Locks has always been the perfect place to hold community festivals.

Barbara Rabideau the president of the the Galop Canal Music Society that puts on the Bluegrass Festival said, “I love the music, and this could not be a better spot to hold the festival.”

She said the support from local business has been especially appreciated considering how many businesses suffered throughout the pandemic.

The festival received great support and Rabideau said she did not forget all the businesses that had supported the festival every year.

There were bluegrass bands from as far away as Halifax.