16 years of 'great music for a greater cause' in Lucknow

Juno award winners The Glorious Sons are warming up this afternoon, before headlining Friday night’s rendition of Lucknow’s Music in the Fields (LMITF).

“This is our first time here. Just getting set up and catching the vibe. It seems like morale is high on site and ready to have a good party tonight,” said Glorious Sons guitarist Jay Emmons.

This is year 16 of the country music festival that multiplies Lucknow’s population from 1,000 to 8,000 each August.

While most concertgoers are within an hour’s drive, some come from overseas.

“We sell tickets all over out west. We sold a couple tickets from Europe. I think people move there and then they come home, and then this is their family reunion. We have all generations here, from little kids to 80-year-old people. And to see that all come together each year, is awesome,” said Cheryl Johnston, one of the many volunteers who help run LMITF.

Started by the Lucknow Kinsmen in 2009 as a modest fundraising tool, LMITF has grown to one of the premier stops on the summer concert schedule, attracting raucous crowds, many staying on site all weekend long.

The Glorious Sons warming up at Lucknow's Music in the Fields on Aug. 23, 2024. (Scott Miller/CTV News London)

“I like the music. It's a good atmosphere. Lots of fun people. The partying. The atmosphere is very good. It's just fun,” said a group of young concertgoers from Southampton.

“This is our first year. I think we just need to have fun with our friends. Yeah. We’re really looking forward to it,” said a group of music fans from St. Marys.

“You meet new people, see a lot of people you know. We have a great time every night,” said a pair of LMITF attendees from Brucefield.

While there are plenty of Fields fans in Lucknow for the music and partying, this event is really one huge fundraiser put on almost exclusively by more than 300 volunteers.

2024 Lucknow Music in the Fields on Aug. 23, 2024. (Scott Miller/CTV News London)

“So to date, the Lucknow Kinsmen have raised over $1.5 million, strictly with Music in the Fields. They have other events they do too, like the tractor pull and Summer Fest, but obviously this is the biggest one. The money is distributed in the community to local hospitals, schools, sports teams. Cystic Fibrosis Canada, is the title charity for Music in the Fields,” said Johnston.

Kip Moore headlines Saturday, while the Glorious Sons take centre stage at Music in the Fields, tonight.

“This is the vibe we grew up with. We were raised in Odessa, Ontario, which is not unlike these small communities. So it feels like we're going to a field party tonight, which is good,” said the Glorious Sons’ Emmons.