Summer Moon Festival returns with music from Shad, Snotty Nose Rez Kids

A news release issued today by the City Of Sault Ste. Marie announced the return of the annual Summer Moon Festival which will feature local and regional artists, and a music event featuring Shad, Snotty Nose Rez Kids, and Skratch Bastid.

Presented in collaboration with the Sault Ste. Marie Indian Friendship Centre and the Downtown Association, the 2022 Summer Moon Festival runs from June 21 through 25 at locations throughout the city.

Full text of the news release follows:

Get ready for the biggest downtown celebration of arts and culture. The Summer Moon Festival returns, June 21-25, 2022.

Join the Sault Ste. Marie Indian Friendship Centre, the Downtown Association and the City of Sault Ste. Marie to support local arts and cultural offerings for the community. If you are an artist, an arts connoisseur, or even if you enjoy attending community events, the Summer Moon Festival has something for everyone.

During the week of the festival, local and regional visual artists from across the province will be in Sault Ste. Marie to create and paint mural concepts at a number of locations (locations and artists to be announced at a later date). Members of the public may volunteer for site preparation, attend community workshops with guest speakers, attend a downtown block party, register for Q&A session with artists, and visit a pop-up artists market, the ‘largest Indigenous artist’s market in northern Ontario’ before taking in an evening of music to complete the week’s events.

Kicking off this free music event is Skratch Bastid, a DJ artist who has recognized for his comfort and versatility in different styles – hip hop, funk, disco, club, rock, increasingly and just about every other genre that will make you dance – more and more people are getting hip to his style. Skratch Bastid has toured Canada, the United States, the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, Japan, New Zealand, Brazil and all over Europe, averaging close to 200 shows a year.

Following Skratch Bastid will be Canadian hip-hop act Snotty Nose Rez Kids (SNRK), a duo of Haisla (Indigenous) descent from Kitimat, B.C. This Juno nominated group has toured heavily in Canada and made appearances across North America, Mexico, and Australia! Listen to their latest album, Life After, now!

Headlining the Summer Moon Festival is Canadian hip hop artist and Juno Award winner, Shad! Recognized four times on the Polaris Music Prize shortlist, Shad has been one of Canada’s most revered rappers since his debut in 2005. This Toronto-based MC has pushed his style of socially conscious yet infectiously playful hip-hop across five albums that have received widespread critical acclaim. With over 30 million streams at the end of 2021, Shad released his most recent album TAO. Find out more about Shad here.

“We’re incredibly excited to be hosting this event with the Indian Friendship Centre and the Downtown Association,” said Josh Ingram, tourism area coordinator. “The public art and cultural activities that this festival brings, allows the community to participate in the unique, local history and culture of our area. The creation of Summer Moon’s public art and workshops bring opportunities for youth and community members to access art mentorship, and provides access for local artists to expand their skill sets.”

Summer Moon 2022’s title sponsor is Your Neighbourhood Credit Union (YNCU), in addition to support provided by the Ontario Arts Council. With more schedule details to follow and events requiring registration, visit the website, follow on Facebook and @artsandculturessm on Instagram.

The Summer Moon Festival is an annual festival where organizations can work together to create and develop accessible, sustainable, multi-disciplinary public art, culture and heritage programming that supports tourism, economic diversity and arts sector development within the region. This event has created a more welcoming and inclusive community for all through increased representation and cross-cultural relationships and through the opportunity for community members to share in multi-cultural experiences and programming. Summer Moon Festival is intended to promote and foster a sense of pride, place, ownership, and inclusion in the community.