Halton Freedom Celebration Festival - Celebrating 189 years of Emancipation!!! Celebrating Burlington - Best City to Live in in Canada, First City in the World to proclaim August as Emancipation Month (Festival 2018) and this year, celebrating its 150
Halton Freedom Celebration Festival - Celebrating 189 years of Emancipation!!! Celebrating Burlington - Best City to Live in in Canada, First City in the World to proclaim August as Emancipation Month (Festival 2018) and this year, celebrating its 150th Anniversary.
Saturday, August 5, 2023 – 1 to 11 p.m. – Spencer Smith Park, Burlington
Join us for a day of total pleasure!!! Exquisite R&B, Soul, Funk, Reggae, Salsa, African Dance and Jazz Fusion complimenting Cultural Crafts, Tasty Treats (Food Trucks and Multi-Cultural Vendors), Community Services, Youth Activities and Workshops.
The 2022 Halton Freedom Celebration Festival will showcase musicians including
Blackburn –2016 Juno runners up and recognized by Rolling Stone Magazine as the best blues band in Canada (2015), enslaved descendants whose father, Bobby “Dean” Blackburn, is recognized on the Mississauga Walk of Fame for bringing R&B into Canada and member of the first black family in Brampton, Ontario;
Dejehan Hamilton (MC) aka. Luckystickz, who is Berklee College of Music’s 1st Steel Drum graduate supporting his scholarship in drumming, represents Berklee University globally, has a past playing with Harry Belafonte and is a HBHAS Board Director; and
Michael Dunston, renowned vocalist whose group The Lincolns are recognized as the Best R&B band in Canada and Soul Stew (Bamboo’s original home band of 40+ years), We were also pleased to present 11 x Canadian Music Award recipient,
Errol Skipah Woodward and his Reggae Band, Injah, to our audiences and the exceptionally talented Neema Children's Project from Uganda – young expressive entertainers all around, dancing, singing and drumming towards fundraising to send school supplies to hospitals and orphanages back home.
We are please to have join us this year: Lou Pomanti & Oakland Stroke, “a smokin' 10-piece band, including a 5 man horn section, THE HOGTOWN HORNS!” Lou Pomanti is one of Canada’s most accomplished composers, musicians, and musical directors. Oakland Stroke recreates the sound and soul of the infamous Tower of Power! Lou and the Hogtown Horns play tribute to The Greatest Horn Hits of the 70s... from bands like Blood, Sweat and Tears – Earth, Wind and Fire and Average White Band!
Also new this year is LMT Connection, a funk and soul trio who describe their sound as "Universal Soul", are “true masters of their craft, touring internationally, releasing over 10 self-produced albums independently. Singer/guitarist Leroy Emmanuel was an active member of Motown’s thriving music community at its height, supporting the likes of Marvin Gaye, Bohannon, and Bettye Lavette, and in 1989 started LMT Connection with drummer Mark Rogers and bassist John Irvine. They are one of the best R&B/Funk groups you will ever hear.
Musical interludes by Mike “DJ GIBS” Gibson, formerly of Attitude Sound Crew with Jason Chambers, the first official DJ’s of the Toronto Raptors with their mixtapes recognized as some of the most popular throughout Canada and parts of the USA.
Join in the drum circle led by Baba Williams, whose has diversified experience with classical piano, trumpet and drumming and is regarded as one of Canada’s most prolific and respected drumming instructors."
This free festival is exquisite with multi-cultural crafts, food trucks, art, fashion, accessories, cultural and heritage vendors, youth activities and enormous ambience. Bring your chairs, umbrellas, and dancing shoes and effervescent spirit. Schedule and full bios available at www.hbhas.ca. See you there!!!
