The Northern Pikes won't be able to attend Chester Fest due to COVID cases in the band. (Submitted Photo/Chester Fest)

By Rob Mahon

Chester Fest Pikeless

Northern Pikes out, but Chester Fest plows ahead

Jul 5, 2022 | 11:44 AM

Kicking back on a couch outside and watching a concert is something a lot of Prince Albert and area residents have gotten used to over the years with Chester Fest. Even with one of the lead acts having to drop out, the hope is fans will still flock to the event.

The Northern Pikes, who had been the headliners for the festival, have had to drop out due to some cases of COVID-19 within the band. It was an unpleasant bit of news for organizers, though not one that caught them totally off guard.

“We saw the writing on the wall a little bit last week,” said Joel Rohs, director of Chester Fest. “They had just cancelled three dates out east, in Ontario and on the coast. I kind of figured this might happen, so not a shock, but at this point, what do you do?”

The early warning sign may have helped Rohs and other organizers line up a replacement act, and the act they settled on was Juno Award nominee Megan Nash. Nash hails from Mortlach, SK which sits west of Regina.

“A pretty quick phone call to Megan Nash, one of our favorite Saskatchewan artists here at the festival,” Rohs said. “She played last year actually. She’s been doing some pretty incredible things… I think a lot of people in PA really love Megan.”

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Last year, Chester Fest took place in September rather than its usual July slot. This year, with COVID restrictions off, it’s back to normal.

“There were lots of good, positive things about the September time frame that we were in last year,” said Rohs. “But it was strictly out of regulations being lifted later in the year, so we kind of did it out of necessity to still have a festival last year. We’re glad to be back in July, that’s kind of where we’ve always tried to be or planned to be.”

Aside from Nash replacing the Northern Pikes, the rest of the lineup for Chesterfest looks much the same as advertised, which Rohs is excited about.

“We still have an incredible lineup,” Rohs said. “We have an incredible blend of local and regional and interprovincial acts. There really is something for everyone. We’ve also been lucky to feature some youth performers and some youth bands this year.”

The concert will take place on the Exhibition grounds. Rohs said the chesterfields, which are stored in a semi-trailer year round, will be setup just prior to the event.

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rob.mahon@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @RobMahonPxP