Reflecting on what Small Halls means to the folks at Chaffey’s Lock Community Hall

Gay Henniger, Events Manager, Marketing Committee, Chaffey’s Lock & Area Heritage Society: “Over the past six years, we have discovered that there are many spinoffs from the Festival of Small Halls concerts in our Chaffey’s Lock Community Hall.  Some are more obvious than others.  Firstly, it is a real treat to have such wonderful entertainment arrive at our door in September – all in a neat package and ready to go. Bringing the Festival of Small Halls to Chaffey’s Lock has given us an opportunity to share our local Canadian heritage (Lockmaster’s Museum, The Opinicon, Rideau Canal, lock, and hall) with the entertainers and the audiences who attend the concerts.  In turn, I hope we as a community and a venue, are giving our entertainers and those coming to listen, a glimpse of a very special place here in Eastern Ontario that they may not ordinarily visit. Hopefully one day they will return to visit, stay or cottage here.

The Festival concerts are also a booster for tourism in our region, as well as for businesses that offer overnight accommodations, dining, activities such boat tours, kayaking and canoeing.  Even our hall rentals and day events have had increased attendance. Chaffey’s Lock is becoming one of the places to visit in Eastern Ontario. The Small Halls concerts have played a part in this result.

Regarding the music itself, the concerts have given us a wider appreciation and thirst for hearing and seeing up-and-coming Canadian performers.  The Chaffey’s Lock & Area Heritage Community has found we have collectively learned so much about the Canadian music industry though working with Small Halls. We now strive to support up and coming musicians.

Our event team has really grown in appreciation, knowledge, and confidence, and our wider community is supporting our total efforts to bring this level of entertainment to our small Chaffey’s Lock Community Hall.”

This is the third in a mini series reflecting on what Small Halls means to several of the beloved hosting venues for the Ontario Festival of Small Halls.