Having hosted some 10,000 people last year at the inaugural Beatles festival, the organizers of the 2008 event want it to be bigger and better.

“It is a big challenge and sure there is pressure to make the festival bigger and better, but we feel we have worked hard at improving on last year,” said event artistic director David Goyette.

The second-annual Orillia Beatles Celebration will take place from Sept. 19-21, primarily in the downtown core.

“Last year, we spread out the event over five blocks and this year we’ve reduced that down to about two or three. We’re hoping that will mean bigger crowds in a smaller area,” said Goyette.

In addition to almost non-stop concerts by Beatles tribute artists, highlighting the weekend will be appearances by May Pang and Nancy Lee Andrews, former girlfriends of John Lennon and Ringo Starr, respectively.

Pang was the former personal assistant to John Lennon and Yoko Ono in New York.

Pang began an 18-month relationship with Lennon in June ‘73.

“That later became known as Lennon’s Lost Weekend,” said Goyette.

A former international model and photographer, Andrews was introduced to Starr by Lennon in May 1974 and the two were together until 1980.

Twice on the Beatles weekend there will be live performances at the Orillia Opera House by Help!

“This is a Beatles tribute band that has an incredible following across Canada and especially in Quebec. They are all Canadian boys, so that says something about the talent in this country. They put on an incredible live show with all the Beatles costumes, choreography, hair and instruments,” said Goyette.

Back by popular demand, The Fab Four will play a Sunday matinee performance at the Orillia Opera House.

“The neat thing about this show is they will be playing only music from the four Beatles movies (Hard Days Night, Help, Yellow Submarine, Let It Be). A show like this has never been done in Canada,” said Goyette.

Marking the 40th anniversary of the release of the Beatles White Album, the Kings of Marigold from Hamilton will stage a street performance during the weekend.

“They’ll be playing all the music from the White Album, probably one of the most influential and best-selling albums of all time,” said Goyette.

On the Saturday evening of the festival, the municipal parking lot on Mississaga Street will be filled with the music of the musical group Yesterday.

Last September, about 1,000 people took in their concert in the downtown core.

Other performers confirmed to perform Beatles music during the celebration weekend include Tom Heyfron, Chris Clause, Madhuhar Dhas, Wildsmith, Go Freddie Go, The Orillia Silver Band, Patio Cats, Stan Sturgeon, Colin Halyk and Rubber Soul.

For collectors and devotees of Beatles memorabilia, Trevor Hosier will be hosting a display of his Youngtown Museum Beatles Collection at the Green Room of the Orillia Opera House.

“Trevor is one of Canada’s most notable collectors of Beatles memorabilia and he’ll be bringing along some one of a kind pieces. Included will be the black hat worn by John Lennon during the Beatles’ last photo shoot in August of 1969. It was displayed the cover of the Hey Jude album,” said Goyette.

Council committee voted to again underwrite the festival with financial and staff support as the event enters its second year.

“It benefits the hotels, it benefits the restaurants, it benefits the downtown,” said Coun. Tim Lauer.

Staff time spent on the inaugural festival was valued at close to $30,000, according to culture and heritage director Craig Metcalf.

Early estimates suggest the city could be expected to cover $25,000 in festival expenses this year, Metcalf added in a report to council.

Organizers of the celebration have said they hoped to rely less on municipal support in future years.

City to back Beatles festival; Commitment for second-year event could reach $55,000

Posted By Teviah Moro April 29th, 2008

The Orillia Beatles Celebration can count on another year of support from the city, which will assume operational and financial responsibility for the second year of the fall festival, city politicians decided Monday night.

The city's culture and heritage department estimated that could mean nearly $30,000 in staff time and a potential $25,000 in expenses to help the fledging festival, touted by organizers as the biggest in Canada.

Mayor Ron Stevens backed the motion call- ing for the same level of support as last year.

"Although," Stevens said, "I will do so with a very careful eye in terms of the financing of it." He added he is also concerned city staff could be taken away from their regular duties. Last year, culture and heritage staff contributed 930 hours to help organize and run the event dedicated to the Fab Four.

The Sept. 21-23 event wound up with a loss of $12,414, which festival organizers have committed to paying back. This year, the festival would be in the lurch without the same level of city backing, said Craig Metcalf, director of culture and heritage.

"The Orillia Beatles Celebration would be in trouble if the city didn't support it." Nonetheless, as indicated in his report discussed by council committee on Monday night, Metcalf considered the "shoulder season" event a winning hand for tourism.

Last year, the festival drew an estimated 12,000 people and, based on that figure, resulted in an economic impact of more than $700,000, he noted in the report. The Beatles bash boasted an extensive collection of memorabilia and merchandise on display at city hall. Vendors and musicians lined a closed-off stretch of Mississaga Street, while beer gardens served festival-goers, who took in shows outdoors and at the Opera House.

Coun. Ralph Cipolla, a member of the festival's organizing committee, told The Packet & Times the festival needs to fall back on the city crutch for one more year. "It's important that we nurture this festival. It has the potential to be bigger than the (Collingwood) Elvis festival," he said.

"I think we know that this is the last year that we'll have this type of support." Equal support for all the city's festivals is something council should explore more deeply, Coun. Tim Lauer said. "I am in favour of supporting all festivals equally. I'm not sure what makes this one stand out more than the other excellent festivals we have in town." Cipolla said he may float a suggestion to strike up an ad-hoc committee to look into that question. "The city needs a policy," he said.