RHYTHM + RESILIENCE
Kathy Mulgrew’s Legacy at Stonebridge Wasaga Beach Blues.
For over a decade, the soulful sounds of the blues have echoed through the Stonebridge Town Centre’s ecosystem, marking the transition from summer’s heat to the crisp air of the fall season. At the heart of this transformation has been Kathy Mulgrew. Since stepping into the Chair role in 2016, Kathy has guided the festival through evolution, expansion, and a global pandemic.
After years of dedicated leadership, Kathy Mulgrew is transitioning into a strategic advisory role, serving as Acting Chair and will be Past Chair through 2027. To mark this milestone, we sat down to reflect on the ‘Stonebridge’ legacy, the lessons she’s gathered from the front lines of outdoor music festivals, and her vision for the event’s future in our town.
Building the Foundation from Fans to Founders.
Q: The festival is deeply tied to the Stonebridge Town Centre. How has that evolved?
KM: The Stonebridge name isn’t just a location; it’s the foundation of our history. In early 2010, real estate developer Mark Crowe looked at the construction underway at Stonebridge by the Bay and saw more than just houses; he saw a community that needed a heartbeat. Holding a deep love for music, Mark wanted a way to “show off” the town’s potential, while bringing people together. He sat down with a few friends and hatched an idea: a fall music festival that would give visitors a glimpse of the vibrant town Wasaga Beach was on the road to becoming, and that’s when Stonebridge Wasaga Beach Blues was created.
In the beginning, it was a 2-day event on a single stage. There were big gaps between sets while crews swapped gear. By 2019, everything changed. We launched a 2-stage, 3-day format. We finally found our own personality.
We were so fortunate to have Chuck Jackson as our first Creative Director. Having the lead singer of the Downchild Blues Band in our corner gave us instant ‘street cred.’ Chuck brought that authentic blues soul and deep industry knowledge that put us on the map. Even now, as he continues to lead the Southside Shuffle in Port Credit, I look back on those early days and realize how much his foundational spark shaped who we are today.
Then there was the late Wayne Buttery. Wayne was more than a director; he was a true partner in the trenches. He brought a level of dedication and musical expertise to Wasaga Beach that was unmatched. We navigated the hurdles of outdoor event planning together, and his steady hand and warm spirit ensured the festival felt like a community, not just a production. I carry the lessons we learned during those years with me every day.
When we lost Wayne, it felt natural for his longtime collaborator, Gabor Szepesi, to step in. Since 2021, Gabor has been an incredible force. His decades of experience as a performer and his technical and production brilliance have helped us elevate our performance and sound quality to heights I once only dreamed of, and he continues to deliver top-notch talent every year.
Looking back, the Stonebridge legacy is defined by the handprints these three men left on our festival. It has been an honour to work alongside Chuck, Wayne, and Gabor to turn a vision of music by the beach into an enduring piece of our community’s history.
Q: Kathy, you took the Chair in 2016. Looking back at those first years, what was the original vision?
KM: My story started with a love for music. My husband Gord and I would come from New Lowell to attend the Blues Fest. Then we moved to Wasaga Beach, and in 2015, I decided I wanted to give back and started volunteering for the ‘Boogie Woogie Blues Bash.’ By 2016, I was co-chairing with Joe Belanger. Then Joe moved on to the Town Council, and I stepped into the Chair role, with help from Heather Pritchard and Colleen Bannerman. That was the year we became a not-for-profit. We were a nimble team, and we just wanted to continue the legacy of sharing outdoor live music in Wasaga Beach.
Our vision was simple: we wanted to create a professional, accessible music experience for our town.
Navigating Change.
Q: The music industry and local tourism have changed significantly since 2016. What has been your secret to keeping the festival relevant and thriving for 11 years?
The secret hasn’t really been a secret. It’s been a relentless commitment to a high-calibre experience that people can feel the moment they walk through the gates. While the industry has changed, the human desire for a world-class live experience hasn’t.
Our ‘relevance’ comes from delivering uncompromising quality in both music and production. We’ve never viewed ourselves as just a local gathering; we treat this like an international stage. By maintaining two main stages with professional-grade sound and lighting, we create an environment that attracts the absolute best Canadian local and national award-winning talent. When artists of that calibre, such as Juno nominees and winners and Maple Blues Award winners, see the level of production we provide, they give us their best. That energy is what keeps people coming back year after year.
But beyond the technical side, the real key is how that quality fuels the community attraction. We don’t just book bands; we curate an atmosphere of celebration. When you have world-class audio and elite musicians, it naturally encourages a spirit of dance and connection.
You see it in the crowd every year, with a few thousand people moving together, lost in the music. It turns a 'concert' into a community landmark.
One of the best things about the festival is that it takes place during our beautiful shoulder season. By moving past the peak summer rush, we can offer a much more open and accessible experience for the outdoor community. Whether you’re a cyclist, a motorcyclist, or a local runner hitting the trails, you can blend the weekend as you wish. It’s about showing that Wasaga Beach is a vibrant, year-round destination. We also take pride in being a ‘nimble’ partner for the community; for example, our recent collaboration with the Terry Fox Run allowed us to lend our platform to a cause that has been close to our hearts for decades. For us, the festival isn’t just about the music, it’s about staying agile and finding creative ways to help our community thrive together.
The Turning Point. Having Strength through Tough Times.
Q: Every leader has a 'make or break' moment. What was yours?
KM: The pandemic years of 2020 and 2021 served as the ultimate litmus test for the Stonebridge Wasaga Beach Blues Festival. While other provincial events risked bankruptcy by attempting to forge ahead, the festival chose a different path. The leadership made the difficult but essential decision to hit the “pause button” to ensure long-term survival.
For us, it wasn’t just about ‘waiting it out’; it was about stewardship. We felt a deep responsibility to be incredibly protective of our sponsorship dollars, the funds entrusted to us by local businesses, who were also feeling the strain, while at the same time, ensuring the health and safety of our community. We chose to prioritize the long-term survival of the festival over a short-term ‘show must go on’ mentality.
Because we were frugal and cautious during those quiet years, we didn’t just survive; we emerged stronger. That fiscal discipline allowed us to return in 2022 with a renewed vision. Bringing on Gabor Szepesi as Creative Director was a turning point. He brought a fresh energy and a level of production talent that elevated the festival to a professional standard we hadn’t seen before. It proved that by protecting our resources when it mattered most, we earned the right to grow when the time was right.
Q: You’ve always been vocal about keeping the festival affordable. Why is that a priority?
KM: It’s a conscious effort. Live music needs to be accessible to everyone. We keep it affordable for our guests, and because of our sponsors and partners. We appreciate every business sponsor in this town; their contributions allow us to keep prices lower than almost any other festival of this calibre. We aren’t backed by multi-national corporations; we are backed by our neighbours, mostly small and mid-size businesses, along with the County of Simcoe, municipal, provincial and federal government funding we receive. And I have to mention, our biggest fan is Mark Crowe, and his investment in the experiences and culture of this town is why these memories continue to exist.
Behind the Music are the Chills and Lessons.
Q: Is there one performance that still gives you chills?
Yes! She’s an international award winner from Quebec. Her name is Dawn Tyler-Watson! When she stepped on stage with three sax players, that powerhouse voice and the energy she let out. I became a lifetime fan. I play her music every single day now. But that’s the beauty of the ‘New Blues’! It’s about the rhythm, the energy, and the dancing. It’s not just ‘old blues’ music; it’s a living, breathing beat.
Q: What have you learned about the people of Wasaga Beach through this process?
KM: That we are an army of volunteers. This festival is 100% volunteer-run. Whether someone gives two hours or two hundred, they are invaluable. People come for their own reasons, but they stay because of the sense of accomplishment.
I’ve met so many people from Wasaga Beach who tell me this is the one weekend they clear their calendars for. Yet, it still surprises me that many people live right here and somehow still do not know our festival exists! We hope this changes, because they are truly missing out. Once you experience that high-energy celebration, the world-class talent, and the joy of dancing with your neighbours, you realize it’s something special. That feeling is what has kept us thriving for over a decade.
There is a magic that happens when the music starts, and the community gathers. It’s an experience that stays with you.
It has been the honour of my career to help build this, and I can’t wait to see you all in the crowd.
Looking Ahead to the Future.
Q: As you move toward the 'Past Chair' role in 2027, what is your wish for the festival?
KM: My greatest wish is that we don’t lose our intimacy. We don’t need to be a 70,000-person sell-out to be successful. Our formula works because it’s organic and well-run. I want the community to embrace what we’ve built, and keep the quality high, maintain its affordability, and let it grow at the same pace as our town.
by Yvette Gauthier
Photo Credit: Yvette Gauthier, Nick Harding, Bryan Davies, Bob Chipps