By John McPhee, WHT Editor
Come Sept. 15 everybody in the old cell block will be dancin’ to the jailhouse rock.
The Kinsmen Club of Walkerton will be making sure ‘the joint’ will be rocking at the former Walkerton (county) jail that night as it plays host to a special fundraiser for the Walkerton & District Hospital Foundation. Even David Inglis – the ‘Warden’ (of Bruce County) plans to be there.
Jailhouse Rock runs 10 hours from 1 to 11 p.m. featuring seven different artists including local Elvis impersonator Dennis Bushell who will hit the stage at 3 p.m.
Other artists include Katie Eltink, Chris Yenney, The Man in Black – a tribute to Johnny Cash and June Carter – Broken Caliber, Superstack, and Thunderstruck, who will close the day-long concert with their renowned tribute to AC/DC.
“We’re expecting it will be a sold out event,” said event chair Wayne Holman, who also came up with the idea for a concert at the former county jail.
“I worked there a few times and thought it would be a really cool venue for a concert,” he said.
Holman said the Kinsmen club quickly jumped on the idea and they went about getting permission from local authorities, including Bruce County.
The concert will be held outside in the jail yard but patrons will get to see part of the decommisioned jail and cells when they first enter. They can also come and go during the day.
Holman isn’t concerned about the acoustics in the closed in area. “We’ve hired a professional sound company, it will be OK, they know what they’re doing.” He said the concert ends at 11 p.m. due to the municipality’s noise bylaw.
But providing 10 hours of rock and country music will be a great setting for a party, Holman said, noting that while 700 tickets are being sold, the space could support more.
Tickets are $40 and have been selling fast with more than half sold as of last week. Tickets are available at Grey-Bruce Interiors, Speedy Tax and Bookkeeping, or any Kinsmen member.
With 700 expected for the party and great music, Holman said there should be a lot of dancing and offered one piece of advice – “if you can’t find a partner, use a wooden chair.”
