After 18 consecutive years, the Canal Bank Shuffle Blues Festival will not happen in 2020
After 18 years of hosting concerts and donating more than $200,000 to local charities, the Canal Bank Shuffle Blues Festival, Thorold’s signature event, will not take place this year.
With the closure of the Canada-U.S. border, and Phase 3 of the province’s reopening not on Ontario’s radar yet, CBS founder and musical director Tim Sinnett has been unable to move ahead with booking any bands, either Canadian or American, for the annual four-day music fest.
Typically, the highly anticipated event—held each year in late October—features 30 or so bands representing the highest calibre of blues musicians from Canada and the U.S., and draws music fans from both sides of the border annually to downtown Thorold.
Thorold has become a well-known music-tourism destination throughout North America but, on the heels of the cancellation of Rock’N Blues on the Battlefield, the Shuffle cancellation means no music festivals will be staged in Thorold this year.
The good news is that “the Shuffle” is also well-known for filling Thorold venues and highlighting great musicians throughout the year, so CBS volunteers will continue to explore possible alternative concerts in the future while adhering to COVID-19 safety measures and regulations.
