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
Trudeau acknowledges charges in Nijjar killing, calls for commitment to democracy
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has acknowledged the charges laid Friday in relation to the murder of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Bodies recovered in Mexico likely 2 Australians, 1 American who went missing: officials
Three bodies recovered in an area of Baja California are likely to be those of the two Australians and an American who went missing last weekend during a camping and surfing trip, the state prosecutor’s office said Saturday.
Princess Anne lays wreath at B.C. veteran's cemetery; receives 21-gun salute
Princess Anne paid tribute to veterans buried at a cemetery in British Columbia today, laying a wreath to honour the more than 2,500 military personnel and family members buried there.
Mystik Dan wins the 150th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in a three-horse photo finish
Mystik Dan won the 150th Kentucky Derby in a photo finish, edging out Forever Young and Sierra Leone for the upset victory.
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Work stoppage possible as WestJet issues lockout notice to maintenance engineers' union
A lockout notice issued by WestJet to a union representing aircraft maintenance engineers could result in a work stoppage next week.
London Drugs begins 'gradual reopening' on 7th day after cyberattack
Almost a week after all London Drugs stores across Western Canada abruptly closed amid a cyberattack, they began a "gradual reopening" on Saturday.