Sylvie Desgroseilliers

WI Blues Fest VIP night was one for the books

By Chelsey St-Pierre
The Suburban

The West Island Blues Fest (WIBF) has officially launched the 2024 season with its VIP night in Pierrefonds-Roxboro. This year, the five beneficiaries include Centre Bienvenue, West Island Women’s Shelter, West Island Black Community Association Literacy Unlimited and Volunteer Accompaniment Service (ABOVAS).

Elected officials in attendance included West Island Blues Festival Co-Founders Errol Johnson and Jim Beis, Pierrefonds-Roxboro City Councillors Benoit Langevin, Sharky Tarakjian, Catherine Clement-Talbot and Louise Leroux, Pointe-Claire Mayor Tim Thomas and Pointe-Claire City Councillors Tara Stainforth, Eric Stork, Kelly Thorstad-Cullen, Cynthia Homan and Bruno Tremblay, Dorval Mayor Marc Doret and Ile-Bizard Mayor Doug Hurley and Ile-Bizard City Councilor Suzanne Marceau.

Artists Sylvie DesGroseilliers and Jewelle McKenzie filled the room with their soulful voices. The event’s Master of Ceremonies Daniel Khoury accompanied by his soon-to-be wife Sally Yaboub treated attendees with a story of romance as they announced their engagement while mingling throughout the evening.

In its 21 years, the WIBF has raised over half a million dollars to benefit local community organizations that support the West Island population.Attendees enjoyed mingling while lining up for the buffet layout and while seated at their tables they were serenaded with the sounds of jazz and blues.

As the evening progressed, many were lured by the beats to get up and dance while others felt inspired to sing along with the nostalgic tunes.In the post-pandemic era, it was a sight to see new faces along with familiar personalities blend together at an event that has become a highpoint on the West Island calendar. n

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Fourth municipality joins WI Blues Fest

By Chelsey St-Pierre
The Suburban

The 21st edition of the West Island Blues Fest is preparing to launch with spectacular performances lined up and a fourth location added to the mix this year.

Dorval is the most recent city to join in on hosting this West-Island-wide summer favourite, along with Dollard-des-Ormeaux (DDO), Pierrefonds-Roxboro and Pointe-Claire. Pierrefonds-Roxboro will kick off with the annual VIP night on May 30, followed by the free concerts in Dorval on August 10 and the season finale Pointe-Claire on September 7.

West Islanders and WI Blues Fest fans are invited to enjoy some of their favourite blues, jazz and reggae artists including Sylvie Desgroseilliers, Jewel McKenzie, the Old Soul Band, Dwane Dixon, Inus Aso reggae band, Dawn Taylor Watson, Justin Saladino, The Contractors, Uprising Reggae Band, the Freddie James Project and The Stone Doctors.

The West Island community organizations that will benefit from the funds to be raised at this year’s concert are West Island Association for the Intellectually Handicapped, the West Island Black Community Association, the West Island Women’s Shelter, Literacy Unlimited, AJOI, the West Island Palliative Care, Portage and ABOVAS.

“Not only are we expanding the festival to respond to the signature event that we created 21 years ago, but we also added a new beneficiary, ABOVAS, which is an association that caters to the seniors community; an important fraction of our community, who were particularly brought to the forefront of our attention throughout the pandemic,” WI Blues Fest co-founder and Pierrefonds-Roxboro mayor Jim Beis told The Suburban.

Co-founder and DDO City Councillor Errol Johnson reminds that the WI Blues Fest was originally intended to benefit WIBCA, which has since grown and is currently renovating to accommodate its steady expansion. As the Blues Fest has grown, it has extended its support to various community organizations. “The event really benefits the community and it extends itself as seniors are involved, young kids and young families are involved, everybody is involved and we love that,” Johnson told The Suburban. Johnson’s perspective was put on perfect display as gospel singer Sylvie DeGroseilliers took to the stage following the Blues Fest announcement with her son on guitar and grandson on her hip, as she performed Aretha Franklin’s Chain of Fools.

WI Blues Fest host and board director Daniel Khoury told The Suburban that he is excited to see the growth to neighbouring City’s n

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