The 33rd annual McGregor Music Festival was held over the weekend with large crowds on hand to enjoy the music, classic cars and to support the Windsor Cancer Centre Foundation.
The festival was presented at Co-An Park in McGregor all day Sunday with eight bands, the popular pig auction, a classic car show, raffles, door prizes and food available for the hundreds that attended. By mid-afternoon, festival organizing committee chair Sue LeClair estimated that 750 people were on the grounds of Co-An Park, with vehicles not only parking in the lot closest to the pavilion but along the roadway near the Essex County Steam & Gas Engine Museum side of the park.
LeClair said it was a mix of people that attended, with familiar faces that come every year and those who are new to the event coming out. The fact the sun was out much of the day and temperatures were cool brought people out, with LeClair pointing out the success of the event depends on the weather.
“It's a beautiful day,” said LeClair. “We have 75 cars which brings its own people. It's a beautiful day to come out.”
Bands included C2C with Charlene, Lookin' Back, the All Nighters, Bad Moustache, Jammin' for Wellness, Kenny & the Cruisers, Exit 31 and Crow Bar Hotel getting about 45 minutes each to perform. The latter was a new band, LeClair added, with much of the rest being returning bands.
A rib dinner was added to the event last year and the success of that led to it being brought back this year. The grand prize for the raffle was two tickets to anywhere West Jet flies with grocery cards, NHL and OHL hockey tickets, gas cards, rounds of golf, televisions, air purifiers, vacuums, artwork and wine were among the raffle prizes.
“Our sponsors kick butt,” said LeClair. “We are thankful for our sponsors. Without them, we couldn't do this.”
The McGregor Music Festival follows a similar format year-after-year with the committee wanting to stick with what works. It raised approximately $72,000 to the Windsor Cancer Centre Foundation in 2023 with the goal to surpass it this year.
“We need to step up the technology and we need the money to do that for the cancer centre foundation,” said LeClair. “That's why we do it.”
Proceeds benefit patient care and the patient assistance fund this year, she added. The total will be revealed at a wrap-up barbecue for the committee and the cancer centre foundation next month at LeClair's home.
“Thank you to my committee,” she said. “Thank you to the people who come out and make it happen.”Windsor-Essex Cancer Centre Foundation executive director Houida Kassem was also grateful for the support.
“A big thank you to our community once again for making such a big impact on the cancer community. We couldn't do this without you,” said Kassem.
Kassem believed the event went well and there was “non-stop excitement” at the festival.
“The bands are amazing. It's so much fun,” she said.
The festival has a “huge” effect on what the Windsor Cancer Centre can offer. She said they allow people to get the cancer treatment they need close to home.
“It's community involvement like this that is valuable on what we do. We don't want people to travel up the 401 to get to their treatments,” she said.
McGregor Music Festival plays to large crowd
By Ron Giofu
Comments