http://www.therecord.com/news-story/4532345-big-music-fest-s-final-concert-sold-out/
KITCHENER — There will be a capacity crowd of 25,000 at the Sunday concert for Big Music Fest, the three-day rock festival in McLennan Park from July 11-13.
Concert organizers announced Wednesday that the Sunday concert has sold out. Rockers Aerosmith, Big Wreck, Slash and Kim Mitchell are performing that day. Tickets went on sale on March 28 for $69.50.
Tickets for the Saturday concert, featuring Styx, Collective Soul, Moist and Bryan Adams, are also selling well, said Paula Danylevich, the director of marketing and promotions for Big Music Fest. “It’s selling at a brisk pace and we expect to sell that night out too.”
Two-day passes selling for $99.50 are also selling quickly, she said.
Organizers anticipate only about 2,000 to 4,000 attendees on Friday, a free concert in which emerging bands compete in the Ontario-wide talent search Breaking Bands.
Meanwhile, the city and festival organizers are working on addressing some of the concerns of nearby residents.
A draft site plan has the stage in the south end of the park not far from Block Line Road. The stage will face away from homes.
“The equipment is very directional, which cuts down on the bleed (of sound) to the sides,” said Jeff Young, Kitchener’s manager of special events. “The way it’s positioned, the vast majority of residents are in back of the stage. There’ll still be some sound, but nowhere near what an attendee of the event would experience.”
Plans for parking and transportation to the event are progressing, Young said. Within a couple of weeks plans will be available on the Big Music Fest website and the city’s special events page, detailing what parking is available and what other options, such as walking, transit or cycling, are available.
So far, there will parking Friday available for $20 at Lions Arena on Rittenhouse Road, across from McLennan Park. On Saturday and Sunday, there will be just over 2,000 parking spots available for $20 at Conestoga College’s Doon campus, with free shuttles taking fans to McLennan Park.
As well, Young said about 1,500 to 2,000 spots are available at schools and other locales around McLennan Park, and he expects businesses to rent out about 1,000 other spots. The websites will highlight bus routes to the park, and a bicycle valet service will be available during the festival
Event parking won’t be allowed on city streets near the park, and officials say the restrictions will be strictly enforced.
Organizers also announced a number of other bands that will be playing at the festival, including Bleeker Ridge from Orillia, and Vancouver band Pigeon Park on Sunday. Ottawa-based Autumns Cannon, as well as the winner of the 97.7 HTZ-FM’s Rocksearch 2014 contest, which will be announced June 20, will join the bands playing on Saturday.
cthompson@therecord.com , Twitter: @ThompsonRecord