Interested in sports at the Festival? Click here to see what's scheduled.
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Entertainment at the Festival
This is what it's all about, after all. Music in every form. Whether your tastes run to jazz, bluegrass, rock n roll, bigband, classical, world or country, you'll find something to enjoy.
New this year, the Markham Distric Veterans Association (MDVA) on Washington Street is hosting a stage with entertainment running from 1 pm until 11 pm, with 3MDM from 1 till 6 and Manatee Band from 7 until 11pm.
Headliners for 2009
 The Bluesers
Over the past 5 years the Band has had the opportunity to play at various outdoor festivals and events including the Windsor Blues Fest, Burlington Jazz and Blues Fest, Oakville Midnight Madness, Oakville Jazz Fest ( at Prime Time venue ), Dundas Cactus Festival, Port Dover Friday the 13th , Parti Gras at the Distillery District (in Toronto ), Empire Sandy Blues Cruise as well as benefit and charity events including cancer benefits and various smaller local venues.
The band is made up of Chris Cotton on guitar, Mike Cotton Jr. on drums, John Cotton on bass and Mike Branton on guitar & vocals.
Project Phoenix
 Toronto's premier dance, funk and R&B band. Honouring the greats of old school dance and funk, balanced with funky contemporary grooves.
They deliver a show that will flood your senses with a fullness that only a ten-piece band can. Funky rhythms, tight horns and powerful vocals drive the desire to party as Project Phoenix radiates its heat.
Project Phoenix is the party!
Uptown Swing Band
From Ain't Misbehavin' to You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Loves You, Uptown Swing Band covers the entire Swing Era and beyond.
The Grayceful Daddies
Swingin' Blues and Jazz, Good 'ol Rock'n'Roll. Great musicians, great sounds, great reasons why audiences get such a kick out of a date with The Grayceful Daddies. The Daddies cherry pick the most enduring songs from the blues, jazz, and rock branches of the roots music tree, songs that put a spring in your step and a smile on your face. On a swinging bed of bass drums and keyboards, they serve up savoury sax lines and the sharpest guitar licks this side of anywhere. A distinctive group of singers ensure a sound for everyone's taste, from Tom Waits to Muddy Waters to Aretha Franklin. But what audiences say they most adore about The Grayceful Daddies is the joy they take in what they do. It's about good times my friends. Let 'em roll.
Cobra Kings
Talented musicians coming together with varied musical tastes. Their many years of performing covers at bars, clubs, pubs, festivals, corporate and private functions, have kept the Cobra Kings one of the most premier in-demand bands around. Now, with the upcoming release of their first original CD, which is a mixture of catchy & memorable songs from popular genres such as: R&B, Soul, Funk, Reggae, Blues & Rock, the Cobra Kings have made a giant step forward as an original recording act.
 fortysomething's Alan Kennedy and Harry James have been working on their harmonies since they met in high school, almost 30 years ago.
From gigs in local coffee shops to opening for Brian Roman at Roy Thompson Hall, fortysomething's reputation for recreating the sensibilities of the Everly Brothers, the Beatles and a great sound of their own, has a growing contingent of fans who show up anywhere the lads end up playing. "Their sound is so right, you can't help but come away feeling great."
 The Not Affiliated Big Band is a 20-piece, all-age, jazz/swing band. They specialize in energetic music of the jazz persuasion. The musicians are a diverse and intriguing blend of dynamic musicians who love performing fun and powerful music for appreciative audiences. Not Affiliated kicks their way through all kinds of jazz, swing, standards, Latin and fusion.
Over the band's eight-year history, Not Affiliated has developed into an exciting show band, blowing away audiences with both their musicality and their amazingly fun and relaxed stage presence.
"The all-age band is from the Markham area and has a wide repertoire. They sound rehearsed, they swing, and they're tight!" Geoff Chapman, Jazz Critic for the Toronto Star
 The Band is delighted to be performing their 30th concert season. You can expect an extra special variety of music, contemporary pieces, marches, show tunes, light classics and, occasionally, a little jazz - the kind of music that appeals to any audience. Special guest performers are featured at many of the concerts.
The Markham Concert Band was formed in 1978, and with over 65 members, it is one of the largest community bands in Canada! Band members include young and old from many fields of endeavour. All brought together with one purpose in mind - to serve the community with the best in concert band music
 Bob Laporte formed "What About Bob" in 1994. A very talented and energetic Classic Rock band, it's comprised of Bob Laporte on drums & vocals; Russ Blakely on bass, guitar and vocals; Bruce Bamford on bass and vocals; Andrew Heathcote on guitar and vocals and "Bongo Bob" Baron on percussion & vocals. The band has performed on Markham stages a number of times. We're looking forward to hearing them again this June at the Festival!
Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Morgan Park
Just for the kids, fun for three days at Morgan Park. To find out more, click here.
    
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