Excitement in the air as ECMAs kick off on P.E.I.
Volunteers, crew, and performers were busy Wednesday getting ready for the biggest day of the year for East Coast artists: the East Coast Music Awards.
There will be stages across the Charlottetown. It’s a weekend about music, but it’s also a chance for local artists to make important connections.
Artists like Nick Doneff, who will take the stage with local favorite Two Hours Traffic for the opening ceremony Wednesday evening.
“There are just so many peers and contemporary musicians around as well,” said Doneff, guitarist for the band. “It just brings everybody together, and for me that’s the most exciting part.”
Acts have a chance to show off their stuff for concert promoters and festival organizers from around the world.
“From Saskatoon to Cambridge in the UK,” said Rob Oakie, Music PEI’s executive director. “That’s a huge opportunity.”
The festivities are happening in Charlottetown and across the Island for the next five days, which could be a huge boon for the local scene.
“Great for the venues, they love to have full houses when the ECMA is here,” said Oakie. “There’s a lot of different shows going on, so a lot of the venues are being used.”
Many of the shows are ticketed, but there are some free events, including kids’ performances at the Charlottetown Library. Organizers say they hope to share the excitement with as many people as possible.
At the same time, it’s a weekend for the artists.
“To have the opportunity to get heard about, noticed, talked about in the media,” said Blanche Israël, CEO of the East Coast Music Association. “When you can say that you were nominated for an ECMA, or that you won an ECMA, it is a big deal.”
The awards are a place for up-and-comers to rub shoulders with the greats.
““I’m going to try and take in a little bit of the music because there’s just so much going on,” said Doneff. “There’s official shows, unofficial shows, and all kinds of stuff happening.”
Hardware will be handed out over the weekend and the 36th annual ECMAs will come to a close on Sunday with a songwriters circle.
For more Prince Edward Island news visit our dedicated provincial page.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Scottie Scheffler arrested at PGA Championship for traffic violation, returns to course hours later
Masters champion Scottie Scheffler was arrested Friday morning on his way to the PGA Championship, with stunning images showing him handcuffed as he was taken to jail for not following police orders during a pedestrian fatality investigation.
NEW What a wildfire survivor says she regrets not grabbing before leaving home
Carol Christian had 15 minutes to evacuate her home during the Fort McMurray wildfires in 2016. She ended up losing the house and everything inside. Now, she wants to share the lessons she learned.
Four 1970s homicides linked to serial killer, Alberta Mounties to reveal Friday
A dead serial sexual offender and killer has been linked to four homicides in the 1970s in Alberta, RCMP say.
Ontario sees first measles death in more than a decade after young child dies
A young child has died of measles in Ontario, marking the first death in the province from the highly contagious virus in more than 10 years, a Public Health Ontario report confirms.
Think twice before sharing 'heartbreaking' social media posts, RCMP warn
Mounties in B.C. are urging people to think twice before sharing "heartbreaking posts" on social media.
One way Canadians are shrinking rising grocery bills
As the cost of food in Canada has risen, grocery shoppers are looking at ways to reduce their grocery bill, and more are choosing price over beauty, turning to companies that deliver so-called 'misfit' produce at a fraction of the cost.
'Another pair of eyes watching over me:' How a B.C. woman's guide dog saved her from drowning
A B.C. woman says her guide dog pulled her from a lake moments before she had a seizure, saving her life.
Vatican revamps norms to evaluate visions of Mary as it adapts to internet age and combats hoaxers
The Vatican on Friday radically reformed its process for evaluating alleged visions of the Virgin Mary, weeping statues and other seemingly supernatural phenomena, insisting on having the final say in whether the events are worthy of popular devotion.
Wildfires are dampening against cool, rainy weather, but there's plenty left to contain
An opportune system of cool, wet weather Friday is dampening the spread of wildfires across Western Canada, but there's still plenty of work for responders and residents alike.