The final weekend of summer, the Labour Day long weekend, means it’s time for the annual wrap up for musical festivities at the Little Manitou Art Gallery. Through the summer months, the Gallery plays host to Saturday concerts, the Busking Festival, the Wonder of Words event, and many other musical and performance attractions. The annual Manitou Music Fest brings the curtain down on the stage at the Little Manitou Art Gallery for the season. 

Along with the Music Fest proper on Sunday night, September 3, the Gallery stage will light up at 8 pm on Saturday with the final regular performance, says Gallery owner Sarah McKen.  

“We like to finish off the summer with a grand celebration, maybe a bit of a bang. On Saturday night, we have the Rockin’ Robins, which is a trio of women that performs some amazing harmonies and goes through some really fun covers through the ages. It’s always a feel-good performance.” 

On Sunday, the Music Fest gets under way with some of Manitou Beach’s favourite musical performers bidding farewell to the summer saltiness.  

“On Sunday we get started at 7:30 pm and go right through until midnight. It’s the longest night of music we have; we bring in as many bands and performers as we can.”  

bruce rawlingBruce Rawling at Little Manitou Art Gallery

Opening act is a duo of Beach mainstays, Brian Paul DG, fresh off his Saskatoon gig with folk singing legend Valdy, and Bruce Rawling, whose unmistakable voice and soulful tunes are always a hit. For the first time, the Music Fest welcomes a flamenco dance performance by Flamenco Borealis, followed by Chris Vasseur and friends.  

“The dance party really takes it up a notch when we have Three Amigos on stage at about 10:30 or 11:00. There will be and intermission as the community is doing some fireworks, then we’ll bring everybody back with the fire tradition and the Salty Circus.” 

Salty Circus is a four-woman juggling and fire-spinning act that has wowed audiences in summers past and is not to be missed. The night wraps up with DJ Emilio DelCanto taking the crowd into the Labour Day Hours. 

Send off summer with a wonderful celebration of music and dance with friends down at Manitou Beach and the Little Manitou Art Gallery.  

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