Family-friendly concert coming up this August

EDITOR’S NOTE: Due to potential rain Saturday, the event will now take place at the cultural centre.

Above Left to right: Joshua Melvin, Devon Marsden, Braeden Hajen, Riley Quinn are one of the bands that will take to the stage Aug. 11 for a free community concert just outside Morinville. – Submitted Photo

by Stephen Dafoe

HIS Trucking, just west of Morinville, will be the venue for a day-long, family-friendly free concert Aug. 11.

The multi-band, multi-act show is the brainchild of Morinville resident Joshua Melvin who pulled together the talents of musician friends and some of their musician friends.

“I have local musicians from the Father’s House Church, musicians from Smith Music. I have other musicians [including] Riley Quinn, Ron Robinson, and others. We just wanted to play some music,” Melvin said, adding the motivation behind the concert started on Melvin’s 21st birthday last year when he and a friend decided to put on an open show. The enjoyment of that event prompted Melvin to celebrate his 22nd birthday (Aug. 9) by doing another show on a larger scale as a way of giving back to the community he lives in.

Melvin said currently there are two bands and several acoustic and solo acts for a total of five acts hitting the stage. The event is set to start at 1 p.m. and run until probably 10 or 11 p.m.

“It’s all family friendly. It’s all clean,” Melvin said, adding the music will be a mixture of worship music and conventional music. “It’s free to the community. It’s a not-for-profit event. It’s being catered by Higher Grounds. They’ll have a cotton candy machine for the kids, Italian sodas, bottled water and other drink and food items.”

Though the concert and children’s activities between the sets are free, there will be a cost for refreshments with all proceeds going back to Higher Grounds to assist in their community initiatives.

Melvin’s mother, Liz, is the manager of Higher Grounds. She said she was proud of his initiative.

“I love the fact that my son has caught the vision that life is not to be self-centred, to reach out and care about the community,” she said. “The fact that he opened it up for Higher Grounds to be blessed to be part of it. The more money we bring in, the more we can put back out to the community.”
The concert is made possible by the assembling of community support.

Melvin’s friend Ron Robinson, a travelling musician or many years standing, provided a trailer that will serve as a portable stage, Jon and Esther Bucher provided their property as the venue, and the gear was all assembled locally.

Melvin said he is appreciative of local businesses, including Quinn’s Plumbing and Heating who provided a van for gear, the Father’s House’s Matty Coppin for running children’s activities, and others who have stepped in to help out.

“I just kept asking for favours, and nobody said, ‘no,'” he said of planning the event.

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