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'Back to Life Street Fest' returns live outdoor music to Timmins

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TIMMINS -

It's back to a sense of normalcy for musicians in Timmins, with the goal being reuniting them with audiences in an outdoor live music event.

It was important to organizer Peter Lawryniw that people experience a taste of pre-pandemic get music ringing through city streets once again.

"I was driving myself crazy just staying at home because this is what I used to do before the pandemic," said Lawryniw, a local DJ and musician who organized several music events in the city pre-pandemic.

"We didn't want to make any money or anything, we just wanted to get people out of their house and just enjoy the last bit of summer, while we can."

Having only two weeks to put the event together after receiving approval from the Downtown Timmins BIA and the Porcupine Health Unit, Lawryniw said he couldn't include all the attractions he wanted but endeavoured to make an enjoyable community outing.

The street fest featured five local music acts, including Lawryniw's band ColdWater. Tattoo shop Diamond in the Rough offered $20 tattoos, with local car and motorcycle clubs attending as well to raise money for the city's Croatian Hall, which has been in need of repairs.

Timmins musician Mitch Jean helped kicked-off the festivities with a crowd-pleasing performance, saying he's missed performing in front of audiences.

"There's nothing like it because it's the interaction with the people," Jean said. "The vibe is just amazingly different than playing alone ... performing for the people is what it's all about."

Lawryniw said he hopes to have two street feats every summer going forward, with the idea of making it larger each year.

He said music events are part of what makes Timmins vibrant and he hopes this street fest won't be a one-time things as the world works to beat the pandemic.

"Everybody loves coming together as a community, supporting our local artists and just enjoying the music that they can do," Lawryniw said.

"We have so much talent in Timmins, it's unreal, and we don't get enough areas to showcase everybody. So I like to give them a platform wherever I can."

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