Having grown up in Maple Ridge, Colette Trudeau has always enjoyed the chance to connect with her community.
She fondly recalls joining her parents each year as they made their way down to the Pitt Meadows Day parade and fireworks.
Now it’s Trudeau’s chance to be part of the celebrations as she take centre stage with her band, Me and Mae.
The band plays “homegrown country music with a rock and roll sensibility” and will hit the main stage at 3:45 p.m. on June 6.
“It’s such a big part of the community and such a great way to connect,” said Trudeau, who joined the band as its lead singer about six months ago. “But to be able to perform in front of friends and family has always been few are far between. So this will be a great opportunity.”
Trudeau joins bandmates Shawn Meehan, , Kim and Adam Reid and Ben Parker. The band has forged a reputation as one to watch on the Canadian country music scene.
Me and Mae’s first break came with the single Love Me Leave Me Lonely, which Meehan co-wrote with Carly Rae Jepsen, who at the time was his guitar student.
The release of the band’s debut album, Off the Rails, on Cordova Bay Records, in May 2014, was quickly followed by a Nashville tour and a nomination for best new country artist, as well as winning a B.C. Country Music Award.
Trudeau joined the band in early 2015, after her work as the lead singer of the all-female rock group LiveOnRelease,with which she co-wrote the hit single I’m afraid of Britney Spears, which appeared in the movie and soundtrack for Dude, Where’s My Car?
Trudeau and her bandmates will launch their summer tour in Pitt Meadows. Other dates include stops in Calgary July 6 as part of the Stampede, a three-day festival July 10 to 12 at the Craven Country Jamboree in Regina, and at the Havelock Country Jamboree in Ontario on Aug. 15, which is Canada’s largest country live music and camping festival.
“It’s exciting to get out on the road and make connections with our fans,” said Trudeau. “It’s nice we get to start off in Pitt Meadows.”
This year Pitt Meadows Day will be hosting the live entertainment on the Centennial Stage, a legacy project from last year, located on the north ball diamond at Harris Road Park.
The organizing team is proud to showcase local bands that all have band members from Pitt Meadows or Maple Ridge.
“All of the bands are outstanding and we are excited to welcome our headliners Me and Mae for the first time to Pitt Meadows Day as they are kick off their summer tour at Pitt Meadows Day,” organizers said.
“New this year is an expanded entertainment schedule to include live music during the salmon and chicken BBQ from 5 to 7 p.m.,” said Erin Mark, a volunteer with Pitt Meadows Day’s entertainment committee. “Guests will be able to enjoy a delicious dinner and live music outside at Harris Road Park. It doesn’t get much better than that.”
Schedule:
• 12:15 to 1 p.m. - James Buddy Rogers;
• 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. - opening ceremonies with May Pole dancing demonstration;
• 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. - DaniElle;
• 3:45 to 4:30 p.m. - Me and Mae
• 5 to 5:45 p.m. - Shades of Green;
• 6 to 6:45 p.m. - Shades of Green (second set);
In addition to the musical performances, there will be free children’s entertainment: bouncy castles, a climbing wall, Norden the Magician, and Queen Elsa performing Frozen story telling and songs. The festival is open at Harris Road Park from noon to 5 p.m., and Mark said, like any festival, performance times will vary.