Adam Prudhomme
Editor
A marathon of 14 non-stop hours of music will take place Dec. 14 during the Loaf N’ Ale’s first annual Holiday Toy Drive.
Running from 12 p.m. to 2 a.m., the show will feature 14 bands taking the stage, one right after the other. Admission is a new unwrapped toy, which will be donated to a child in need this holiday season. The toys will be given to the Napanee Salvation Army, which will look after distributing the toys.
Kim Pollard Band headlines a group that includes Full English, Solomon Woodland, Chantel Johnston, Stephen Medd, John Sweet, Queen & Camden and more.
Derek Valentyne, owner of the Loaf N’ Ale, says the idea for a 14-hour music marathon came from one of his bartenders, who had seen it at a pub in Kingston. When the call came for bands to donate their time, there was no shortage of those willing to give back and play a set.
“They jumped real quick,” said Valentyne. “They were all for it. Most of them are local, Kingston to Picton.”
“They’re supposed to do a couple of Christmas songs each then go back to their music,” Valentyne said of the set lists. “Some Classic. Some mix of Pop. There’s a whole mix of it.”
Each band will use the same technical set up and drum sets so there will be little break between the acts. The idea is to have one band jump right on stage following the previous hour long act.
“It’s going to be really cool live entertainment all day to get you in the Christmas spirit,” added Valentyne.
The pub plans to offer specials throughout the day as well. The hope is that the event will become a yearly tradition.
The Loaf N’ Ale is located at 25 Dundas Street E in Napanee.