Feb 25th – Blankfest Quebec III – It’s About The Homeless; Nothing More, Nothing Less
Montreal’s annual Blankfest Quebec returns for its 3rd year in support of one of Canada’s oldest and largest homeless shelters, the Old Brewery Mission. Over the last two years, Blankfest Quebec has been raising winter clothing for Montreal’s homeless men and women and has collected over 1,000 clothing items to date.
This year’s 3rd annual Blankfest Quebec will be hosted at Katacombes (1635 St-Laurent) on February 25th with a special guest performance from NYC’s Blankfest founder Kenn Rowell and his band, The Baghdaddios. The night will also include performances from local repeat supporters Vinyl Hero, Emery Street, The In n Outs, and newcomers Kill Matilda from Vancouver.
Montreal’s winter months are known for having temperatures well below zero and those who are homeless run the risk of frostbite and possible death due to overexposure. Blankfest Quebec, in cooperation with the Old Brewery Mission, aims to aid those who are less fortunate and keep the homeless warm while living on the streets.
“Because we are only partly funded by the government, the Old Brewery Mission truly relies on Montrealers’ kindness and generosity to help soothe and solve homelessness in our city,” says Heidi Coleman, Executive Director of the Old Brewery Mission Foundation. “Fundraising events like Blankfest make a big difference in terms of providing the resources needed to keep our clients warm during the winter months.”
Blankfest Quebec is organized by Jon Asher, in collaboration with the Old Brewery Mission, and was launched after Jon read about his friend, New York City indie rock veteran Kenn Rowell of The Baghdaddios, who founded Blankfest in 1997 and has been organizing the annual blanket fundraiser in New York City for the past 13 years.
In the past, Rowell says, Blankfest NYC has raised more than 6,000 total donations that have been distributed to the homeless in the New York City area and has inspired similar efforts in New Jersey, Manhattan and Nottingham, UK. Among the many distinguished artists who have performed at past international Blank-Fests are: Rothberg (EMI), Buddy Cage (Grateful Dead), Marc Rizzo (Soulfly) and Meg Griffin (Sirius Radio).
Blankfest Quebec III – 2011
Date: Friday, February 25th, 2011
Time: 9pm
Venue: Katacombes, 1635 St-Laurent
Cost: Admission is a Blanket or Donation of Winter Clothing
Vinyl Hero – http://www.myspace.com/vinylheroband
Emery Street – http://www.facebook.com/pages/Emery-Street/98996937754
The In n’ Outs – http://www.facebook.com/pages/THE-INnOUTS/7482413793
Kill Matilda (Vancouver) – http://www.facebook.com/killmatilda
The Baghddaddios (NYC) – http://www.myspace.com/thebaghdaddios
Old Brewery Mission – www.oldbrewerymission.ca and http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mission-Old-Brewery-page-officielle/168973503131279
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About the Old Brewery Mission
Soothing homelessness. Solving homelessness.
For more than 120 years, the OBM is the largest network of shelters for homeless men in Quebec and the largest resource for homeless women in Canada, providing safe nighttime refuge to more than 125,000 homeless individuals and more than 338,000 meals per year, as well as transition and counselling services to help its clientele find the necessary stability and autonomy to rebuild their lives.
Thanks to the OBM’s transition programs, more than 3,000 people requested emergency assistance in the past year and more than 629 of these people no longer live in the streets.
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