Cletus Ferrigan, former mayor of Campbell’s Bay for many years and a community man, is being honoured this Friday and Saturday at a jamboree called the “Get-together, Thank you, Tribute Event – Cletus’ Final Project.”

During covid, Cletus found comfort in listening to musicians playing traditional country music. He joined a Facebook page titled Isolation 2020 Country Jamboree, where different musicians from around the world kept people entertained for free. Impressed by all the participants, Cletus started . . .

planning a concert to celebrate what these musicians did during the pandemic.

When Ferrigan passed away on April 14, the community response and support are what led his children Timothy and Grant Ferrigan to decide to carry on and continue to plan the concert as Cletus would. Cletus’ loss was felt across the Pontiac as he was a friend, a neighbour, a leader, a husband, a father and a grandfather.

Timothy was initially surprised that the musicians still wanted to come and perform without his father but gradually he saw that people wanted to come for Cletus and honour his life, he said.

“The reason we’re doing this is to follow what he was trying to do to the tee. So we wanted to maintain the same intention, which is to make this all about the musicians, but it’s become more and more clear that the musicians for the most part are very much coming here for him. It’s gonna be an emotional weekend for everybody, but I think it’s gonna be a fun one,” said Timothy.

The Equity reached out to some of the performers coming out this weekend and they said they were excited and for them it was a chance to celebrate Cletus’s life.

Douglas Smith, a musician from Ontario, said they became good friends over a very short period of time and Cletus was always very supportive of local musicians. “He asked me two years ago if I would like to entertain at his planned music event in Campbell’s Bay,” said Smith.

“Cletus helped promote me to all of his friends and it’s important and an honour for me to celebrate his life with his family and friends in the Ottawa Valley. It’s very important to me to pay it forward. We thought alike,” said Smith.

During the pandemic Rosalie Denault Boucher, a Fort-Coulonge local, and her brother hosted Sunday Night Karaoke on Facebook, and during that time she learned that Cletus used to also listen to their show.

“When he decided to get this fundraiser going he approached me to see what I thought, and I was humbled that he wanted my opinion. So to see this becoming a reality was very fitting. He was an icon for many and it will be bittersweet to perform for sure,” said

“In his memory we are touched and very proud to be representing our area,” she said.

Khloe Bertrand who has performed at the RBC Royal Bank Bluesfest will also be performing at this concert and she said Cletus meant a lot to her.

“It’s such an honour to be performing at this event to honour such an incredible man. Cletus would’ve given anyone the shirt off of his back. He came to watch me sing all the way in Cobden Park last year and brought us cherries. He’s truly a man no one will ever forget; such a class act,” said Bertrand.

The event will have about 25 musicians from all over Canada and the Pontiac.

The event will start on Friday July 22 with a celebration for life ceremony for Cletus from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and then the concert will begin. It is free of charge and for all to come and enjoy some live music, Billy T’s will be there for snacks and there will be an open bar all weekend for refreshments.

It will be held at Mural Park 100 Rue Front, Campbell’s Bay, QC J0X 1K0, Canada.

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