Until very recently, the sprawling JW Marriott The Rosseau Muskoka Resort & Spa was getting ready to host an inaugural three-day music festival on its grounds this Canada Day weekend. The anticipated Live Incorporated presents “Live At JW Canada Day” was set to take place on June 28-30. Located on Lake Rosseau, the stately and upscale JW Marriott is owned by Michael DiCienzo, who also owns Live Incorporated.
With everything from country stars to Canadian hip hop legends, the festival lineup was set to include a slew of big names, including Brett Kissell, The Jim Cuddy Band, K’naan, Kardinal Offishall, Maestro Fresh Wes, and Kiefer Sutherland (to name a few).
Well, we've just received word that it's not happening. But it's not immediately known why.
"With regret, Live Incorporated is making ticket buyers aware that 2024 Canada Day Weekend Music Festival at JW Marriott The Rosseau Muskoka Resort & Spa is not taking place. The music festival will be moving to Niagara in 2025. Refunds will be issued as soon as possible," said Maggie Wu, Director of Marketing, JW Marriott The Rosseau Muskoka Resort & Spa in an email to STOREYS.
As well, while the event page still exists on the live Incorporated website, clicking on it to buy tickets leads to a 'Cancelled' pop-up.
Earlier this spring, Live Incorporated announced its intent to make the JW Marriott into a spot for larger-scale music festivals and concerts. The popular year-round resort currently hosts live music and events on a smaller scale. In addition to the potential of a summer-long concert series, Live Incorporated also toyed with the idea of creating a amphitheatre for 20,000 people on resort property. The latter, however, won't materialize, as plans for the theatre now focus on Niagara Falls. Live Incorporated already has a large and influential presence in Niagara Falls, with attractions like the new Fallsview Balloon Ride and the Niagara Falls Drone Show.
The change of plans for the amphitheatre came after concerns were expressed by the Muskoka Lakes Association (MLA) and some local politicians. “There are many types of wonderful special events held in Muskoka, including weddings, outdoor markets, music concerts, and other celebrations and gatherings,” said Ken Pearce, Vice President, Secretary, and of the Muskoka Lakes Association (MLA). “But in March 2024 when Live Incorporated released plans for an outdoor concert venue at the JW Marriott on Lake Rosseau for 20,000 people, the MLA and many of our members had significant concerns.”
The most notable concerns included public safety (the area is known for its narrow, winding roads) and noise. Pearce also cited logistic concerns when it comes to parking, septic capacity, and garbage disposal. “There was widespread relief when the JW Marriott’s representative announced at the May 2024 Council meeting that they were moving these large concerts to Niagara Falls,” says Pearce. As for the Canada Day concert series, he says he doesn't know why it's not going ahead as planned. The MLA, he says, supports any outdoor event on private property (including the concert series) if the organizers satisfy the Township and other relevant authorities, 'including first responders such as the OPP, Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit and Fire Department and that plans are in place to deal with public safety and other risks." Furthermore, he says plans need to be in place to ensure that emergency vehicles can get through, and to prevent people attending the event from trespassing or damaging neighbouring properties.
While Pearce acknowledges the economic benefit an event like the festival could bring to the local region, the questioned whether the resort was the best location. "A large outdoor concert or music destination will be safer and more enjoyable for everyone if it’s in a location that’s easy to access from multi-lane roads and highways and close to large centres where emergency and other support services are readily available," says Pearce.
Local Muskoka realtor Maryrose Coleman says the concert series has been the talk of the town for months. “There was a lot of community opposition about the noise and local disruption,” says Coleman. “I think if they were only doing a one-off event, that would be okay – there are other events that happen on Canada Day – but I think the concern was that this was going to encourage them to do additional large concerts that could be disruptive. Local chatter suggests that the concert was cancelled due to concerns that the venue at the resort would not be able to secure a permit under the new events bylaw put into place by the township, requiring a permit for events with occupancy of 500 or more. It’s unfortunate that it will no longer bring these people into Muskoka, however; people come into Muskoka and spend money and it trickles down to the community.”
While we can only assume that the organizers had their ducks in a row on the logistics front (i.e. safety concerns and proper planning), especially in the face of such criticism, it's not yet entirely clear why the event has been postponed and relocated. JW Marriott has not provided STOREYS with further details. What is certain is that countless would-be concertgoers will now have to rethink their Canada Day Weekend plans.
