Sass Jordan to headline this weekend’s Good For the Soll Music Festival, Ingersoll

Ingersoll is getting ready to rock as the free Good for the Soll music festival runs on Saturday. CTV London’s Bryan Bicknell has more.

Thousands of music fans are expected to flock to Ingersoll this weekend for the second annual Good For the Soll Music Festival.

“The entire community’s behind it,” said festival founder and music promoter Jay Panaseiko.

The event is being staged at Memorial Park in the heart of the community. Last year, London-based rock band Helix helped attract more than 4,000 people to the free concert. This year’s headliner is Canadian songstress Sass Jordan, said Panaseiko.

“I got Sass Jordan coming as a headliner, who is just an absolute Canadian gem. We got my friend from London, Ontario, Charlie Edwards coming. He’s going to be the next Canadian superstar. He’s just released an album, the kid’s going places. We got One Way Street, who were here last year, they’re the hometown boys. Then another band from town, a girls band with a guy drummer called Miss Conduct, and they’re ready to rock,” he said.

Several dozen local businesses are sponsoring the event, including Thamesford Pizza. Business owner Matt Scott says it’s all about community.

“Good for us as a community to get together and have a good time together, and enjoy ourselves, and celebrate what living in a small town is - community,” said Scott.

Ingersoll Rails House of Brews is onboard for the second year in a row. The town’s only craft brewer has brewed a special festival batch, said Brewmaster Craig Rathburn.

“This is Boxcar 73, which is a cream ale. It’s a nice light refreshing beer, which we figured would be perfect for an outdoor event,” he said.

Memorial Park opens to the public at 5:00 p.m. Saturday, with the first band hitting the stage at 6:30 p.m. This year’s festival is dedicated to Panaseiko’s father, Nick Panaseiko, who passed away last month.

“Tomorrow’s concert is dedicated to my dad, Nick Panaseiko, who was at one time Canada’s hottest promo man, and I hope to make him proud,” he said.