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Drive in and rock out for the kids this October

One Kids Place hosts Tom Petty and Fleetwood Mac tribute concert Oct. 16 in Bonfield
Practically Petty and Fleetwood Nicks photo from Benefit Show
Practically Petty and Fleetwood Nicks electrify Bonfield this October for One Kids Place fundraiser / Photo from Benefit Show

Bonfield rocks this Oct. 16 as One Kids Place revive their popular concert series. The event raises funds for the organization, which provides speech-language therapy, physiotherapy, and a host of other services for the area’s youth.

This is the fourth year for the series, and the show is usually held at the Capital Centre. To ensure the show goes on this fall, organizers kept Covid in mind, and vied for a different venue.

The Bonfield Agricultural Society grounds—home of Bonfield’s Fall Fair—at 105 Trunk Rd., is the new site, and the wide-open space allowed organizers to put on a drive-in show.

Music fans will drive in, park before the stage, enjoy a double bill rock show while supporting a good cause. Large screens will enhance the view from stage side.

See: Collaboration a key to a One Kids Place decade of success

One Kids Place works with Connect Marketing’s Benefit Show to produce the event. The company, based in Hamilton, provides various acts to help raise funds for charities.

“They do a great job,” said Katharine Strang, the Development Officer for One Kid’s Place, “and it’s always been very successful, we’ve sold out every year.”

Those past years saw Elton Rohn hitting the stage to pay tribute to—you guessed it—Elton John, an ELO tribute, and a night of classic country covers as well.

“People were standing up and laughing, cheering, having a great time,” at those shows, Strang said.

Moreover, during his show Elton Rohn helped keep One Kids Place top of mind for the audience. “He really got to know what the organization does,” Stang said, and “would talk about it between songs.”

See: Lyons family comes up big again for One Kids Place

This year, fans of Tom Petty and Fleetwood Mac get lucky, because Practically Petty and Fleetwood Nicks headline the show.

These tribute acts do not back down when replicating those classic tunes, going so far as to use the same instruments and amplifiers as the original artists.

All the hits will play, including songs from Nicks’ and Petty’s solo careers. Some Travelling Wilburys tracks round out the career spanning experience.

Tickets are available by calling 1-800-516-5810. A telephone campaign is also underway to encourage people to support the cause.

Soon tickets will be available to purchase online at www.BenefitShow.net.

A huge Petty fan herself, Stang is looking forward to the big show. “I love that we can start to do things again in a safe manner,” she said.

“It will be nice to get back into the community,” she added, “and have a little bit of a presence with the concert to remind people who we are and what we do and that we’ve been around through this whole pandemic.”

“It’s always been one of those things where everyone from the community comes out,” Stang said. “It’s a great night, and really entertaining.”

See: Hundreds take in One Kids Place free community outdoor movie night

David Briggs is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of BayToday, a publication of Village Media. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.


David Briggs, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

About the Author: David Briggs, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

David Briggs is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter covering civic and diversity issues for BayToday. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada
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