A great new festival started in the province in 2016 and this year I made sure that I was there for some of it’s second season. The Area 506 Music Festival that takes place on the New Brunswick Day long weekend was designed to be a celebration of New Brunswick community, culture, music, and goods.
The idea for the festival stems from the wish to create something that would encourage New Brunswicker’s from all over and celebrate. Festival organizers suggest that NB has so many amazing things to celebrate and they wanted a weekend to gather and join together in showing those different sides.
Area 506 Music Festival – Saint John, NB
A unique creation that takes place mostly on Long Wharf in a castle constructed of shipping containers. Communities from around the province are invited to show off their own special pieces of New Brunswick culture, as well as local businesses and vendors. The very cool entrance (seen above) is the first sight you see as you enter the festival grounds.
The festival features two stages, what I can the “day” stage, the Canada 150 stage features acts all day long as it’s free to enter the festival grounds during the day to take in the vendors showing the food, clothing and other wares from all around the area.
The Strumbellas – Area 506 Music Festival – Saint John, NB
Due to some logistical challenges I was only able to make the final evening on Sunday and take in the performances of Matt Mays & The Strumbellas. The crowd ranged in age for the 19+ ticketed events in the evening and thoroughly enjoyed the festival the performances throughout the weekend as a few I spoke with had been there for the whole event. Saturday Night featured Tegan & Sara & David Myles and others performing for the crowd.
Matt Mays – Area 506 Music Festival – Saint John, NB
Matt Mays is a perennial favourite throughout the Maritimes and at Area 506, it’s no exception, the crowd loved his honest performance and genuine endearment of his fans. The crowd loved it when he had told them he found his “Saint John, NB” ball hat in Ontario, later tossing it into the crowd.
The Strumbellas – Area 506 Music Festival – Saint John, NB
The Strumbellas finished the night and the weekend at Area 506 and nothing could have ended it better. This rock band from Ontario definitely features flavours of the Maritimes and fits into this festival perfectly. They excited that crowd with their energy, their music, and their personality. I’d never seen them before and I will definitely be following them more and they were highly entertaining.
I highly recommend the Area 506 Music Festival and I’m looking forward to covering even more of it in 2018.