PROVIDENCE BAY—June’s perfect weather helped usher in the 16th anniversary of Bluegrass in the Country, now in its 14th year (factoring in two years’ pause during the pandemic) as a fundraising event for Manitoulin Special Olympics (MSO). Organized by the hardworking MSO volunteer committee, led by Ben Lentir and Janet Anning, the festival celebrated both the joy of music and the spirit of inclusion.
“Manitoulin Special Olympics is more than sport—it’s about empowerment, inclusion and achieving personal bests,” said Mr. Lentir. “At its heart is longtime supporter and community champion John Featherstone, whose leadership and encouragement continue to inspire us.”
Mr. Featherstone himself shared: “It’s not about winning or losing—it’s about giving everyone a chance to shine, to feel valued, and to be part of something bigger than themselves.”
The Featherstone family has been pivotal in growing MSO’s impact. Residing in Evansville, John and wife Pauline helped establish Bluegrass in the Country as a key fundraiser. Their son Austin emerged as a standout athlete, winning gold in the 400-metre race at the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Athens, Greece, and being named Ontario’s Special Olympics Male Athlete of the Year.
Austin continued to shine at the 2018 Special Olympics Canada National Games in Antigonish and placed first in the 10K run at the 2022 Jack Lyons Memorial track meet in North Bay.
In 2022, the Featherstones relocated to Manitoba to be closer to family, leaving a lasting legacy on Manitoulin Island. Today, the MSO torch is carried by a new generation of athletes, organizers, and volunteers, including Ms. Anning, Mr. Lentir and the Providence Bay Agricultural Society.
This year’s festival was a lively celebration on the Lone Pine Stage where Mr. Lentir, also acting as master of ceremonies, welcomed a full house. Different Picks opened with favourites like ‘Blue Ridge Mountain Home,’ ‘The Cabin Song’ and ‘Lady Be Good.’
“Now we’re getting warmed up—blue skies and a great bunch of people. Give yourselves a round of applause!” urged Different Picks guitarist and vocalist Larry Carrier, who sprinkled the set with humour and stories.
River Valley Grass kept things flowing with ‘Flowers on the Wall,’ ‘Little Miss Bluegrass’ and ‘Molly Rose.’ They also shared a touching moment about their guitarist finally winning a coveted Martin guitar in last year’s draw—on his birthday!
The Canucky Bluegrass Boys brought the house down with Matt Zames’s skits, contagious laughter and a crowd-pleasing rendition of ‘You Raise Me Up,’ which he jokingly dubbed “Opera on the Island.” Their high-energy set ended with encores and a Facebook Live broadcast featuring the cheering crowd.
Friday’s finale saw Avery Drive from Espanola impress under a nearly full moon with their incredible picking and stage presence.
Saturday’s second show delivered as always with Robbie Shawana warming things up with some fan favourites, sharing the spotlight with bands Sweet Grass and River Valley Grass. Different Picks took to the stage around midday and entertained with Larry Carrier guitar licks and a barrage of jokes and anecdotes.
Ben Lentir and Family and Janet Anning took to the stage and treated the audience to a live conference call with the man himself, Brother John Featherstone and his wife Pauline. Denise Mackenzie Shawana filmed a live Facebook feed for John and Pauline to see everyone while Mr. Lentir facilitated.
Mr. Featherstone said, “Hello from Wellwood, Manitoba! I love you all and I miss you all. I wish I was there.” Mr. Featherstone thanked Mr. Lentir for taking over Bluegrass in the Country. “Ben, you were there with us since 2010 when we first started the show so you and your family have earned a spot. I wish you all the best as you continue on and I want to thank all the friends and families who continue on to support us and the committee members and volunteers for all of their hard work for without them where would we be? We wouldn’t be here without them.”
Mr. Featherstone thanked Mr. Lentir and all of the volunteers and committee members, touching on the early days of Bluegrass in the Country, his first introductions to Mr. Lentir, banjo player Murray Pritchard and the Canucky Bluegrass Boys, which he warmly introduced to the stage with big cheers from the crowd. Mr. Lentir remarked how emotional it all was for everyone and went on to say how grateful he was for his responsibilities and roles in the Sault and Manitoulin music communities and talked about his soon-to-be induction into the Northern Ontario Country Music Association Hall of Fame.
Saturday’s serenade and sing-a-long continued with an epic performance by Bonita Mercer and fiddle player and music teacher Marion Linton and the band. Espanola’s amazing Avery Drive capped the night off to the cheering late night crowd under a fiery red waxing Strawberry Moon.
Sunday’s third show began with breakfast and good times gospel medley showcasing Mr. Lentir, Ms. Mercer and Mr. Shawana.
Manitoulin Special Olympics continues to thrive thanks to the Featherstone family legacy and the continued support of people like Mr. Lentir, said Ms. Anning of all the artists and volunteers.
“This was one of our greatest years and shows,” Ms. Anning remarked. “This amazing new stage, the new venue, the vendors, musicians and all of our supporters just love the way we did it all this year and it will continue to grow and gain momentum.” Manitoulin Special Olympics are a testament to the incredible supporters and success of all of the moving parts and people.
“Bluegrass in the Country has been pivotal in helping our athletes go the distance,” said Mr. Lentir. “The support from our musical community, vendors, sponsors, donors, volunteers, ticket holders and everyone involved is invaluable. Together, we keep the dream alive for these amazing athletes.”
If you’d like to get involved or become a sponsor, contact Mr. Lentir at bluegrass_ben@live.com or 705-210-0807.
by Alexia Hannigan
