Pull on your cowboy boots: Montreal's first-ever Lasso Fest kicks off
The distinct twang of country music is ringing throughout the air of Montreal's Parc Jean-Drapeau this weekend, with Montreal's first-ever major country music festival underway.
The Lasso Festival kicked off Friday night with a show from the Mountain Daisies.
Country juggernaut Luke Bryan headlines Saturday night's lineup, which also features Dierks Bentley, Kelsea Ballerini, Riley Green and more.
The festival was announced two years ago by the same team that organizes Osheaga but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Osheaga year one was considerably smaller than this, so we have the advantage of being able to start this one a little bit bigger with some of the biggest names in country right now," said Evenko vice-president Nick Farkas.
For people like Brittany Kennel, it's a momentous occasion.
"I can't even put it into words, to be honest," the country singer said. "I just feel overwhelmed that here in Montreal, down at Parc Drapeau, we are having country artists perform."
Originally from Beaconsfield, Que., Kennel moved to Nashville in 2011 to pursue country music, which she says didn't have a scene in Montreal.
"At the time, there wasn't space for that here," she said.
Kennel herself performed at the festival on Saturday.
According to Farkas, the reaction to Lasso fest was incredible out of the gates shortly after the team announced its launch.
Qubec band Mountain Daisies opened the Lasso Montreal country music festival on Ile Jean Drapeau. SOURCE: Lasso Montreal
Lasso programmer Audrey Johnson said that based on how fast Luke Bryan's show at the Bell Centre sold out, country music has a solid fan base in the province.
"Quebec has always been a pretty country province," she said. "Country music has always been very popular."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canada to launch 'national action plan' to fight auto theft
The federal government is launching what it calls its 'national action plan' to combat auto thefts, which will include stronger penalties for thieves, and increased information sharing between police agencies, government officials and border enforcement.
U.S. Supreme Court rejects appeal from former Guantanamo detainee Omar Khadr
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected an appeal by a Canadian-born former Guantanamo detainee who was seeking to wipe away his war crimes convictions, including for killing a U.S. soldier in Afghanistan.
What is BORG drinking, and why is it a dangerous trend? An expert explains
If you've been to a party lately and haven't seen someone drinking a BORG, you're likely not partying with college students.
Iran's president and foreign minister die in helicopter crash at moment of high tensions in Mideast
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and the country's foreign minister were found dead Monday hours after their helicopter crashed in fog, leaving the Islamic Republic without two key leaders as extraordinary tensions grip the wider Middle East.
Michael Cohen says he stole from Trump's company as defence presses key hush money trial witness
Former Donald Trump attorney Michael Cohen admitted Monday to jurors in the Republican's hush money trial that he stole tens of thousands of dollars from Trump's company as defence lawyers seized on the star witness' misdeeds to attack his credibility.
The world's best airline is paying staff a bonus of 8 months' salary
Singapore Airlines will reward its employees with a bonus worth nearly eight months of salary, a person familiar with the matter told CNN on Friday.
Woman, 35, in critical condition after her truck collided with a Via Rail train near Montreal
A 35-year-old woman is in critical condition after the pick-up truck she was driving was struck by a Via Rail passenger train Monday morning in Quebec's Monteregie region.
Investors watching posts from 'Crypto King' in the wake of fraud, money laundering charges
Former investors of the self-styled “Crypto King” say they are watching his social media accounts and worried his displays of wealth are signs he’s spending their money, even now, as another large expense tied to Aiden Pleterski has triggered a previously unreported lawsuit.
Almost 2 months after it destroyed Baltimore's Key Bridge, the Dali cargo ship has been moved
The cargo ship Dali is being moved from the site of its catastrophic collision with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in a crucial step toward fully reopening the busy Port of Baltimore.