5th Year of Local Music Festival Brings 1,500+ Attendees to Downtown Bridgewater
BRIDGEWATER, NS – The 5th Annual Harvest Moon Music Festival presented by Arby’s Bridgewater took place over September 18 and 19 with attendees flocking to Pijinuiskaq Park to take in over nine different musical acts over the weekend.
On Friday, the music kicked off with the soft melodies of folk trio Emma Worley, Talel McBriar, and Claire Hunter, who closed their set by inviting members of the upcoming bands to perform an acoustic rendition of Neil Young’s “Harvest Moon.”
Mahone Bay based ensemble Diggin’ Up Grubs took the stage at 7PM with classic honky-tonk tunes that got the crowd energized before country-rock group HIRTLE took the stage for the headlining act. HIRTLE’s performance had festival-goers up and cheering as Connor Hirtle lead the band vocally as they played a mix of covers from Alan Jackson to Noah Kahan, as well as the band’s own original songs.
On Saturday, youth from Bridgewater and surrounding areas showcased their talents and entrepreneurship with 16 different vendors putting on a youth market featuring a variety of products from jewelry to sports grip glue, wood creations, and original art. The performers on the Buchanans House of Music Youth Stage entertained attendees throughout the afternoon with Chloe Tibbo, Anna Louise Tingley, The Wedbetters, and Ellipsis showcasing a variety of genres and styles – highlighting the range and talent of these up-and-coming musicians.
As the evening went on, a special moment was reserved for the honouring of the 10th Anniversary of Pijinuiskaq Park – with speeches from Mayor David Mitchell and Melissa Labrador. Labrador and her family had previously collaborated with the Town of Bridgewater 10 years prior on the naming of the park.
Across the river, Bridgewater Local Public House hosted its first ever licensed pop-up patio, offering festival-goers a unique view plane of the stage and activation of the Riverside Walk trail.
Harvest Moon Music Festival was pleased to welcome Ben Holmes (from CKBW & Country 100.7) as emcee and host for the weekend. Helping keep the festival and performers on schedule, Ben kept the crowd engaged between acts, and made sure the festivals partners, sponsors and champions were acknowledged and thanked for their contributions for making this year’s festival a success.
The Saturday festivities then kicked off with award winning singer-songwriter DeeDee Austin, who moved the crowd to tears during her performance of her golden-buzzer song “Buried Truth,” which she had written in memory of, and dedicated, to her great-grandmother.
Saturday’s headliner, Neon Dreams, quickly created an enthusiastic crowd, filling the park with dancing and singalongs from the opening moments of their set.
They closed out the night with a performance of “Life Without Fantasies,” with lead singer Frank Kadillac sharing how that song changed his life when the song hit platinum in South Africa and helped to secure them the 2020 Juno win for Breakthrough Group of the Year.
The evening was completed with the annual fireworks display put on by the Bridgewater Fire Department, lighting up the skies above the LaHave.
With over 1,500 attendees over the two-day event, the Harvest Moon Music Festival continues to cement itself as a signature fall event in Bridgewater, bringing both locals and visitors alike to celebrate community, connection, and music along the riverbank.
