‘It’s food, it’s culture, it’s fun, it’s love’: West Island Blues Festival returning for 22nd year
Posted May 6, 2025 5:50 pm.
Last Updated May 6, 2025 5:55 pm.
Montreal’s West Island Blues Festival is returning for its 22nd year, bringing with it a lineup of artists and three free concerts set for this summer.
The main objective of the festival is to promote blues in the West Island and raise funds for local charities.
“It’s about the music, yes, it’s about the three (concerts), but it’s also raising awareness and money for non-profit organizations that do this thankless work,” said Jim Beis, one of the festival’s co-founders and the borough mayor of Pierrefonds-Roxboro.
“We’re very excited about this year, because it’s a time for a lot of joy and happiness,” said co-founder Errol Johnson. “We have some very lovely artists that are going to be with us this year.”
Johnson named Dawn Tyler Watson, Sylvie DesGroseilliers and the Ramblers among the names performing.
Over the years, the West Island Blues Festival has donated close to $500,000 to multiple community organizations in the West Island. Some of this year’s recipients include the West Island Women’s Shelter, the West Island Black Community Association and the West Island Mission.
“We feel that these charities are doing very important work in the community,” said Johnson. “They’re reaching out, they’re touching deep into the community and making great things happen. And we research these charities and look for work that they’re doing, and that’s why we support them.”
On May 29, the West Island Blues Festival will hold their annual VIP indoor concert at the Pierrefonds Cultural Centre.
The festival itself will take place on three Saturdays over the summer, with outdoor concerts July 5 at Dollard-des-Ormeaux Park, Aug. 9 at Pine Beach Park in Dorval, and Sept. 3 in the Pointe-Claire village.
“I love the whole festival feel, the free outdoor festival that allows the families to come and celebrate locally and not have to rely on going either downtown or somewhere else,” said Beis. “For us, it was important that we keep things local and allow for residents to be able to come to their neighbourhood parks to participate in these events, but also have the same feel as what you would have if you went to the larger city centres and participated in some of the festivals that go on there.”
“It’s food, it’s culture, it’s fun, it’s love,” added Johnson. “It’s sharing with the community, the joy.”
