Artists wanted for Niagara Falls Livestock fest
JOHN LAW
Livestock Niagara is adding to its stable this summer.
The annual Queen Street music festival in Niagara Falls, heading into its third year, plans to expand its concert area two more blocks to Valley Way. Two more stages will be added, along with a beer market, art gallery, health and wellness area, and artisan village.
A festival which already doubled in size last year promises to be much bigger in 2017.
“I think people really enjoyed themselves last year, and it was a really well-run production … the word spread,” says organizer and founder Rafik Guirguis. “I haven’t really done anything overly different in my marketing approach from last year, so I can only attribute it to natural growth.”
Guirguis says applications are up “five hundred percent” to perform at the July 22 event. About 40 bands will be slotted, along with 20 visual artists.
Applications can be submitted at www.livestockniagara.com. The deadline is April 1.
A launch party will be held March 31 at the former Lundy’s Lane United Church (5825 Lowell Ave.) with Ill Scarlett, Street Pharmacy, Road Waves and Avenue Inn performing.
Guirguis, a Niagara Falls music promoter, started Livestock in 2015 as an all-day concert at Taps Brewery. It expanded to twice the bands (46) and double the stages (4) last year.
For local music fans, the timing was perfect: Livestock arrived just as the region’s pre-eminent music festival, SCENE, was cancelled.
Guirguis never looked at Livestock as another SCENE, but rather an extension of its ideals.
“I haven’t really looked at it as taking over (from SCENE) … more of just growing off of something that was great,” he says. “It’s almost its own entity, but it definitely was taking inspiration from SCENE.
“We’re trying to incorporate a lot more local arts and culture, so it’s not just a music festival.”
A bigger festival means even more work for Guirguis, but it’s an exhaustion he welcomes.
“I’m definitely not sleeping as much as I used to, but it’s a good burn. It’s like a really good workout — it hurts, but it hurts good.”