Joyce McCormick was elected president of “tour de Fort” at the group’s annual general meeting here last night.
Joining McCormick on the executive is Wendy Brunetta (vice-president), Tracy Morrish (treasurer), and Scott Doherty (secretary).
McCormick takes over from former president Dr. Ted Jablonski, who left Fort Frances earlier this month after spearheading the group for several years.
And with several other long-time “tour de Fort” members also stepping down, McCormick said her rise to the presidency was “just a matter of who had been on the committee the longest.”
This season’s concert lineup also was unveiled last night, kicking off with “McKeel,” a Celtic pop group from Nova Scotia, on Oct. 5.
Louise Pitre, whose accomplishments include singing as “Fontaine” in the Toronto production of “Les Miserables,” takes to the stage Nov. 25 while up and coming Canadian country star Jason McCoy hits town Feb. 19.
Some familiar performers also will return to Fort Frances this year. Bluegrass band “Special Consensus” and comedian Lorne Elliott, who both appeared as “special concerts” in the past two years, have been incorporated into the 1998-99 regular season with performances on Jan. 29 and March 5 respectively.
Storyteller group “Stewart McLean and the Vinyl Cafe” wraps up the “tour de Fort” season April 16.
All performances are slated for Robert Moore School at 7:30 p.m.
“I think [the acts] are great,” noted Brunetta, who was one the scouting committee for this year’s lineup.
“They’re all family oriented,” she said. “I think everyone would like all of them.”
“It’s a really nice variety,” Doherty added. “We’ve got everything from Celtic rock to bluegrass.”
Passports go on sale Sept. 12 in a one-day blitz from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Fort Frances Public Library. Prices are $50 for an adult, $40 for seniors and students, and $125 for a family.
McCormick said the prices are up slightly from last year but noted “tour de Fort” also is keeping six shows, which was expanded last year for its fifth anniversary celebrations.
“It’s a big change,” Doherty said. “It results in all of us working more efficiently.”
