Chapter coming to a close for Livestock Niagara
Rafik Guirguis’s baby has grown up, and now it is time for it to leave the nest.
Guirguis, along with an army of volunteers, has staged the annual Livestock Niagara Music and Arts Festival for four years.
Now it’s time to move on, he says.
“The fifth annual will be the last — as we know it.”
Guirguis, who will be helping to put together a Canada Day festival in Durham Region in 2020, says there are several changes to this year’s Livestock Niagara, which takes place this weekend in Niagara Falls — namely its location.
The first four festivals were held in the city’s downtown at Taps Brewery on Queen Street. This year, the festival will take place at Sylvia Place, site of the Niagara Falls Farmers Market located behind Niagara Falls History Museum.
“The opportunity rose to work with the Niagara Falls History Museum and the farmers market,” Guirguis says. “And with the city planning and arts and culture hub there, it will be changing so it’s kind of appropriate that (Livestock) wraps up there.”
This year’s festival features local acts such as Revive the Rose, Road Waves and Street Pharmacy among its 14-act lineup. For Road Waves, it will cap a run of appearing at all five years of Livestock’s run.
“I’m really proud of how far they’ve come,” Guirguis says. “We’ve grown in synergy with them.”
The band is on the West Coast as part of its second cross-country tour.
Meanwhile, Welland’s Revive the Rose will take part in the festival for the first time.
“Andy (Colonico, Revive the Rose singer ) has been bugging me to put on a show with them and Road Waves.”
The two bands will close out the festival Saturday.
Beyond this year’s Livestock event and the Canada Day festival in Durham next year, Guirguis says he has plenty of irons in the fire.
“There’s not much I can say right now. I have a lot of big projects planned,” he says. “This is the moment of Livestock that one chapter is closing and the next chapter in music festivals is going to begin.”
An all-ages event, Livestock Niagara will also feature numerous vendors, artists and artisans as well as children’s activities like face-painting.
“We want it to be a great time with everybody getting up and dancing,” Guirguis says.
Tickets for Livestock Niagara are $25 a day or $40 for a two-day pass in advance. Tickets will also be available at the door for $30 a day and $45 for the two-day pass.
For ticket sales, a list of performers and vendors, and more information, see www.livestockniagara.com.