Bossa Nova Scotia
Two classically-trained guitarists and light percussion give this Halifax-area instrumental group a mellow, relaxing samba, bossa nova sound.
Bossa Nova Scotia’s set includes a combination of soft, lyrical and animated, rhythmic pieces.
Carson Downey Band
This North Preston, Nova Scotia blues trio has its musical roots in soul, rock and funk.
Carson Downey, brother Murray and bassist Marlowe Smith have been in the music business for 20 years, opening for great Chicago bluesman Buddy Guy and touring Germany, Greenland, Asia and the U.S.
The Carson Downey Band will headline the MultiFest mainstage Saturday night.
City Natives
City Natives is an award-winning, aboriginal hip-hop group, consisting of four members: Beaatz, IllFundz, Gearl & BnE.
Hailing from New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, the group has performed with Bone Thugs N Harmony, YG, SonReal and Madchild and toured Canada with Wu-Tang Clan’s own Raekwon.
In 2014, the group was nominated for “Aboriginal Recording Of The Year” with their debut album “4Kingz” and won their first East Coast Music Award. Their latest release “Red City” was critically acclaimed as ‘one of the top 10 aboriginal albums of 2014.’
City Natives will be playing the MultiFest mainstage, Friday evening.
Filipino Association of Nova Scotia
The Filipino Association of Nova Scotia (or F.A.N.S.) is a voluntary, non-profit society.
The society’s main objective is to foster social and friendly relations among members while promoting mutual understanding between Filipinos and people of all nations.
For the Love of Flamenco
For the Love of Flamenco is an amateur performance group of dedicated flamenco dancers in the Halifax area under the artistic direction of Maria Osende.
Featuring anywhere between four and 14 dancers, their performances offer a varied and colourful selection of flamenco dance and music styles.
Halifax Multicultural Drummers Society
A multicultural group of individuals who share a love for African drumming.
The Halifax Multicultural Drummers Society will be performing during our MultiFest Opening Ceremonies (noon to 1 p.m., Saturday, June 27) as well as on our Evening B Stage (7:30 – 8 p.m.)
Iryna Gerus
A performer since the age of five, Ukraine-born pop singer Iryna Gerus has toured in Poland, Russia, Germany, the Slovak Republic, India and Jordan.
Her album “Mentor” contains 14 original songs written and performed in Ukrainian, Polish and Russian.
Iryna isn’t just another pretty face. Born to a family of mathematicians, in addition to her studies in music, she holds a Master’s degree in Economics.
Iryna will be performing over the festival weekend on the mainstage as well as entertaining in our Children’s Pavilion.
Jigs Start Here
Fiddler Bradley Glen Reid and friends showcase some of the many composers of fiddle music hailing from Cape Breton and mainland Nova Scotia.
Get ready for reels, marches, waltzes, hornpipes and jigs as Jigs Start Here celebrates our province’s continuing contribution to the fiddle culture.
Katerina
Katerina Sushko came to Halifax from Russia at age 16 to study at Saint Mary`s University. An avid dance student, she began to dabble in choreography.
Her longtime passion has been belly dance fusion, the style she continues to relate to the most.
KORE
Heavily influenced by Bob Marley and The Wailers, KORE was founded at Halifax’s Sonic Temple studio in 2013.
KORE focuses on establishing the sound of the classic peak periods of Bob Marley & The Wailers in the late 1970s.
Along with Moja Makani, KORE will help close out our main stage program, June 28.
Korean Drum Team
The Halifax-based Korean Drum Team have been a hit with past MultiFest audiences.
We’re pleased the group could join our mainstage line-up again this year as well as participate in our MultiFest parade.
Lebanese Festival of Halifax Dancers
Enjoy the artistry and rhythm of Halifax’s Lebanese Festival Folk Dancers as they perform in full traditional dress.
Mark Riley Project
Mark Riley was born into a very musical family, just outside of Dartmouth in Lake Loon. Along with his nine brothers and sisters, he grew up singing in choirs, gospel groups and family sing-alongs.
Maritime Sikh Society
Maritime Telugu Association
Maritime Telugu Association (MATA) is a registered non-profit cultural organization. Telugu dancers will be performing Indian dance on the MultiFest mainstage.
The group actively promotes the advancement of Telugu language and culture to ensure cultural traditions are carried forward.
Moja Makani
Moja Makani means ‘One Home’ in Swahili.
Specializing in African and Caribbean music, the group aims to promote cultural diversity through a mix of original compositions inspired by these cultures as well as music from other regions.
Moja Makani will play the MultiFest mainstage Sunday afternoon.
Papilio
Embark upon an auditory journey through Ireland, Scotland, the Maritimes, Scandinavia, Eastern Europe and beyond.
Papilio is a progressive, neo-traditional trio from Nova Scotia that captures the organic spirit and drive of traditional Celtic, Folk, Nordic, and World music while giving it a new, contemporary, creative twist.
Their album First Flight was nominated for both an East Coast Music Award and a Music Nova Scotia award for Traditional/Roots Recording of the Year in 2014.
Latispánica Cultural Association
Latispánica has long been entertaining MultiFest audiences with dance inspired by the Latin Americas and will perform on our mainstage this year.
The Halifax-based group’s dedicated and talented volunteers are committed to the celebration and promotion of the Hispanic culture, as well as its diversity and integration in Nova Scotia.
Mamta Jha
Mamta Jha, who calls the Wolfville, N.S. area home, received her training from the dance institute of the world-renowned Odissi dance maestro Late Guru Kelucharan Mahapatra in India.
Odissi, the Indian classical-lyrical dance form from the state of Odisha in India, is an ancient dance form and combination of beauty, grace, rhythm, melody, spirituality and devotion.
Mary’s Islanders
Under the direction of Artistic Director and Choreographer Mary Dunlop, Mary’s Islanders has been in operation for 37 years.
Based in Kingston, N.S., the school specializes in nine different dance disciplines including Maritime Step Dancing, Acadian Step Dancing, Irish, Scottish Country, Clogging, Hip Hop, Tap and Modern Square Dancing.
MATA & India
Jyotsna, Mouna and Pranathi Srija Challa peform their own modern
take on classical Indian dance in addition to entertaining MultiFest
audiences with their rendition of popular Bollywood moves
Nova Scotia Chinese Culture & Art Club
NS Chinese Culture and Art Club (NSCACC) aims to advance the public’s appreciation of the Chinese arts by producing and presenting high-quality performances.
Groups range from vocal, folk instrumental, dance and calligraphy to integrated tea art and martial arts groups. NSCACC also delivers training in Chinese choral, orchestral and traditional and classical dance.
Oasis Belly Dance
Based out of Chester, Nova Scotia, Oasis Belly Dance is an amateur dance troupe performing traditional and modern Middle Eastern dance.
The group enjoys entertaining at a wide variety of community and charity events around the South Shore and around the province.
RCMP ‘H’ Division Pipes & Drums
The RCMP ‘H’ Division Pipes and Drums (Nova Scotia) was formed in May 2004 and is one of seven RCMP volunteer pipe bands located in communities across Canada.
The RCMP ‘H’ Division Pipes and Drums is comprised of police and citizen volunteers from throughout Nova Scotia who come together to share and showcase their musical talent and help bring the community closer to its national police. Since its first public appearance at the annual Apple Blossom Parade in Kentville, NS, in May 2005, the band has been in constant demand to appear at public functions.
The band proudly wears the RCMP tartan kilt and world famous red serge tunic as its dress uniform. The tartan was designed in 1997 with colours derived from the RCMP uniform and badge. It was officially presented to the RCMP by HRH Princess Anne at a ceremony held in Fredericton, NB, in 1998.
The RCMP ‘H’ Division Pipes and Drums is based in Halifax, NS, and is under the direction of:
• Pipe Major – Heather Pomeroy
• Drum Major – Jim Gillis, Paul Smith, and Alan Shepherd
• Pipe Sergeant – Brian Morrison, and Bill Pritchard
• Drum Sergeant – Donald Margeson
• Business Director – Michael Sears
• RCMP Liaison – Allan Rogers
Regal Beagle Band
Expressing their passion through a 5-piece “rock ‘n’ roll band with a fiddle,” The Regal Beagle Band has racked up multiple East Coast tours, a handful of Ontario trips, and a whole lot of teeth-cutting in their mother province of Nova Scotia.
In over 100 live performances, they have shared the stage with critically-acclaimed acts like The Stanfields, The Town Heroes, and Ben Caplan.
Their latest LP “In Days Past” is a genre-defying collection of songs spanning rock and roll, folk, country, and Celtic influences.
Roxy & The Underground Soul Sound
-
Roxy & the Underground Soul Sound are a seven-piece, soul-funk band from Halifax, who take the classic, soul sounds of the 60’s and 70’s and put their own spin on the recipe of groove.Vocal powerhouse Roxy Mercier delivers soulful, straight from the heart tales of love won and lost that are sure to leave you dancing all the way home.Performing mostly original material, the group throws in timeless hits as well as lost gems for the funk fanatics in the crowd.
Saeed ForoughiA performer and teacher in the Halifax area, Saeed plays flute, Irish harp, santor and dulcimer.He was principal flutist of the Portuguese Symphony Orchestra for three years.For 25 years, he has recorded and performed throughout Canada and Japan, and is a regular composer and musician for CBC Radio 2. His music explores Classical, Scottish, Irish, Persian, Japanese and Chinese styles.
Samba Nova
Halifax’s own Samba Nova rocks out dynamic Brazilian rythms in a batucada style that will get your feet moving from the very first beats.
This multicultural and multi-generational community group has been a fixture in Halifax for over 15 years.
In addition to playing on the Multicultural Festival mainstage, Samba Nova will set the pace for the Multicultural Festival Parade, June 27th.
Scotia Highland Dancers
The Scotia Highland Dancers are comprised of competitive highland dancers who thrill their audiences with their intricate footwork, innovative choreography and colorful costumes.
While these elements create an atmosphere of excitement, it is ultimately the enthusiasm of the dancers that spreads to all those that share this highland experience.
Formed in 1979, the Scotia Highland Dancers have been dedicated to providing the youth of eastern Nova Scotia the opportunity to participate through music and dance in the Scottish culture that plays such a major role in the communities from which its members are drawn.
Serpentine Studios
MultiFest is pleased to welcome Halifax’s Serpentine Studios to both our mainstage and evening burlesque line-up again this year.
Laura Selenzi and Monique Ryan have combined Tribal Fusion and Classic Egyptian training to create a unique and hypnotic style that has delighted audiences across Canada since 2003.
Get ready to be entertained by Serpentine’s brand of Bollywood, traditional Egyptian bellydance, sword balancing, acrobatics and more.
Sisters of Dance
Sisters of Dance is a troupe of local, professional belly dancers who have been dancing in Halifax for over a decade.
Their love of Arabic music and dance and passion for creating original choreography and learning new challenging styles of dance has kept the group inspired and motivated as a dance troupe.
Sri Lanka Canada Association of the Atlantic Region
SLCAAR promotes the Sri Lankan culture, customs, traditions, arts and multiculturalism throughout Atlantic Canada, including a history of entertaining MultiFest audiences with Sri Lankan dance.
Tomi Allen
Tomi Allen’s music is a melting pot of genres best described as pop/rock world fusion.
Drawing on influences that include classic rock, reggae, blues, latin, funk, flamenco, jazz, african and old school R&B, his tunes span the gamut.
Witchitaw
Southern country rockers Witchitaw hail from the Annapolis Valley.
Their latest Nashville-recorded album “Tearin’ It Up” was nominated for Country Recording of the Year at 2014’s Molson Canadian Nova Scotia Music Week.
Witchitaw play the MultiFest mainstage Saturday night.
