It's the longest-running independent music festival in Canada and has been around longer than the Grammy Awards and colour TV.
The 88th annual Lambton County Music Festival begins Monday, April 24, and runs until May 4. The event will take place Monday through Thursday each week.
Festival President David Nichols says week one features voice and piano classes at Dunlop United, St. Giles Presbyterian and the Sarnia Library Theatre. Week two will see elementary school choirs take to the stage with bands performing at St. Patrick's High School during the evening.
"It gives all these students a chance to see they're not the only ones practising for half an hour every day at the piano and they make a lot of friends," says Nichols. "It certainly is a wonderful confidence builder. If you can go on stage and play the piano with no music in front of you, well, if someone asks you make to make a speech on behalf of their company, you're not going to even think twice about that."
There are 427 entries this year, 26 more than last year.
"When you look around the province, and you see what's going on, in some places, things are slowing down," says Nichols. "There's a lot of other things in competition with music these days. So we're very happy with the increase."
Admission is free but donations will gratefully be accepted.
The Stars of the Festival concert will be held May 16 at the Great Lakes Secondary School auditorium.