Darlene Tuleta performs with Duane Steele over the weekend in Saskatoon as part of the Canadian Country Christmas tour. (submitted photo/Darlene Tuleta)

By Angie Rolheiser

Country Christmas

Melfort to host Canadian Country Christmas tour

Nov 18, 2019 | 11:57 AM

The 16th annual Canadian Country Christmas tour will make a stop in Melfort next Friday.

The tour includes award-winning country entertainers Duane Steele, Sean Hogan and Adam Gregory along with Thomas Wade. The stop in Melfort will also include Darlene Tuleta.

Sean Hogan started the tour back in 2004, and it continues to hold the same values today as it did then.

“We have surpassed over a quarter of a million dollars now in the 15 years that we have been doing this for small town charities,” Hogan said.

The artists that perform each year varies but the goal of the tour is always to bring entertainment for the whole family while raising funds for the different communities they visit.

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“We just basically get our tour costs covered,” Hogan said. “Just to try to give back to the charities that we are helping out.”

The funds from this year’s show will go towards the North East SPCA (NESPCA) and North East Outreach and Support Services (NEOSS).

Tickets can be purchased at the Kerry Vickar Centre box office for $35 an adult, $25 for seniors, $15 for 17 and under. Kids nine and under are free.

“Live music is something that stimulates the brain in a very good way and interacting with music is a very fundamental thing for human beings but I think it’s getting buried in a lot of things that are offered in pop culture these days,” Hogan said.

Seeing children in the crowd, taking in the music, and having fun is an added bonus for the artists.

“We have fun with the kids, it’s pretty interactive with the show, and people won’t be disappointed,” Hogan said.

Keeping with some of the same performers is another way to keep the tour unique according to Hogan.

“It’s cool because people can see the comradery with an assemble of musicians that have played together before,” Hogan said.

Hogan added it’s always fun to bring new musicians on board as well but as it turns out for this year, all of the artists have been on the tour before at some point or another.

Darlene Tuleta is part of the stop in the Melfort, she said as a musician and as a resident of the northeast the tour is special.

“I love being a part of the show when it comes to our neck of the woods. It’s a great show, that has helped raise thousands of dollars for charity, not only here, but across Canada,” Tuleta said. “Anytime I can help out and do my part as an artist, is always important to me.”

She added at this time of year it is especially important to help out community organizations like the NESPCA and NEOSS.

Tuleta was part of the the tour shows over weekend, Friday night in Yorkton as well as Saskatoon on Saturday.

“It could be anything from a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands,” Hogan said. “We are back in Peace River, Alberta for the 14th year in a row this year.”

Hogan said the show is typically a half-and-half split of country and Christmas songs as those that were at last year’s show in Melfort would have experienced.

“We have really tried to make this cost effective and it’s a ton of fun and we just hope to have a great crowd out for the good times,” he said.

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angie.rolheiser@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @Angie_Rolheiser