McGregor Music Festival raises $85k at this year's event

The McGregor Music Festival committee announced July 21 that this year's McGregor Music Festival raised $85,000 for the Windsor Cancer Centre Foundation. The festival was held June 14. The 36th annual McGregor Music Festival will return to Co-An Park Sunday, June 13, 2027.

Proceeds turned over to the Windsor Cancer Centre Foundation

For the second straight year, the McGregor Music Festival has raised $85,000 for the Windsor Cancer Centre Foundation.

This year’s total came despite the fact there were fewer people through the gates at Co-An Park than last year, with storms for a portion of the day June 14 keeping people away. 

The attendance for the June 14 festival was 419.

Corporate sponsorships, donations of money, door prizes, car show and raffle items, the popular pig auction and simply the overall generosity of the community got the total to match what was raised in 2025.

The total was announced July 21 at a wrap-up party for the committee at LeClair’s home.

The Windsor Cancer Centre Foundation will use the donation for the patient assistance fund, which helps qualifying cancer patients pay bills, cover travel costs and offset other expenses impacted by their cancer treatments.

Sue LeClair, chair of the McGregor Music Festival committee, said “people brought their hearts” the day of the festival.

“I was ecstatic,” LeClair said, when she learned of the total. “I was excited we were able to match last year’s total.”

Houida Kassem, executive director of the Windsor Cancer Centre Foundation, said those who came gave back and the community rallied behind the festival despite storms that rolled through Essex County that day.

Windsor Cancer Centre Foundation executive director Houida Kassem (left) and McGregor Music Festival committee chair Sue LeClair (right) were pleased with the $85,000 total from this year's festival. The total was announced at a party at LeClair's home last Tuesday evening.

Kassem said it was fitting in a way, noting cancer patients have to weather the storm of going through cancer treatments so those who went to the McGregor Music Festival literally had to put up with a storm as well.

“They still came out,” said Kassem.

There are roughly 100,000-115,000 visits per year to the Windsor Cancer Centre, she added. Events like the McGregor Music Festival help the centre with it program, with LeClair adding it is the largest fundraiser for the cancer centre in Essex County.

This year’s festival was the 35^th annual, with it being the 20^th with LeClair chairing the committee. LeClair expressed her gratitude for the community’s support and the work of the committee.

“We’re a committee of 14 people who step up and get it done,” she said.

The festival committee and the foundation have developed a strong working relationship, with Kassem adding “we’re doing it for our cancer community.”

There were seven bands at this year’s festival – C2C with Charlene, Crowbar Hotel, the All Nighters, Lookin’ Back, Bad Moustache, Border City Brass and The Wellness Band – and they were thanked as well.

“Without the bands and everyone showing up, we wouldn’t have anything,” said LeClair.

The 36^th annual McGregor Music Festival will be Sunday, June 13, 2027.

McGregor Music Festival raises $85k at this year's event

By RTT Staff