Salamander festival showcasing 21 artists over 3 days
Advertisement
Read this article for free:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
We need your support!
Local journalism needs your support!
As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed.
Now, more than ever, we need your support.
Starting at $15.99 plus taxes every four weeks you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website.
Subscribe Nowor call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527.
Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community!
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Add Brandon Sun access to your Free Press subscription for only an additional
$1 for the first 4 weeks*
*Your next subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $20.00 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $24.00 plus GST every four weeks.
Read unlimited articles for free today:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 15/07/2025 (254 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
An array of singers and bands are getting ready to pick up their microphones and guitars for the third annual Salamander Summer Music Festival this weekend in Brandon.
Twenty-one artists will perform from Friday to Sunday at Rideau Park, and organizer Jenn Watson said she is “so excited” anticipating the event’s kickoff.
“It’s going to be good,” Watson said. “We’re just really excited, it’s going to be a good weekend.”
The festival is going to be bigger than last year, with more performers and top talent, said Watson, who is also the executive director of Brandon First, an organization that promotes the city as a host for events.
The “crazy stellar lineup” includes the Silas Presley Band, Route 10 Collective, BatBotS and headliner The Haileys. Nearly all the artists performing are from Manitoba, Watson said, and all of them are Canadian.
“We really are building it as that Manitoba live music vibe,” she said. “It’s really unique. It’s something that I don’t think you can get anywhere else.”
Watson describes this year’s music as folk rock or pop rock, with a few performers crossing genre boundaries, including the BatBotS, which she described as a “pirate band.”
“It’s just really cool — we like to build it as sort of being like a Manitoba core.”
Watson said some of the bands were new to her, but after getting applications from them to perform at the festival, she’s now a fan.
“There was a lot of bands that I had never heard of before, and now they’re in absolute regular rotation on my playlist,” she said.
Along with the music going on all weekend, there will also be a kids zone and food trucks available.
“It’s just going to be a whole fun weekend, and a whole festival experience,” Watson said.
The other performers are Ruzz Guitar Trio, Astronomics, No Fuss, Matt Cory, Daelyn Elise, Crossfyre, Fuller Hull, Zach Riley, Mari Padeanu, Lucky Ned, Cupid’s Heart, Chris Froome, Prince Eddy and the Wrecking Balls, 11:22, Deandra Dey, Brad Johnson and the Talent, and Kieran Bjornson as Tyler Childers.
Headliner The Haileys are playing Saturday evening.
Watson said the organizing committee is already planning the next two festivals, which she hopes will be even bigger.
“Again, we’ll try and get a few more artists on, try and get a few bigger named artists that draw a little bit bigger crowd,” she said. “As long as the people will keep coming out, and the bands will keep playing, we’ll keep putting it together.”
The first band on Friday is set to take the stage at 5:30 p.m., Saturday at 2:30 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at salamanderfest.ca or at the gate.
» alambert@brandonsun.com