River Street Promotions has officially announced Homestand ’24, to be held in Ross Wells Park on Saturday, Sept. 7, and featuring Canadian Music Hall of Fame rockstars 54-40 headlining a packed night, with Doc Walker, Belle Plaine, Trick Ryder, The Steadies, and Toque also scheduled for the stage. 

“After the unprecedented success of Homestand ’23, we look forward to welcoming these amazing artists to our city as well as shining a light on our homegrown Saskatchewan talent,” said James Murdock of River Street Promotions (RSP). 

“We are excited to work to pack the park and make this the most successful Homestand yet.” 

Title sponsors K+S Potash are back to support the festival (Murdock noted that without K+S Potash’s support, the event likely would not have happened), along with a line-up of generous business sponsors who want to be part of RSP’s mission and values.

"K+S Potash Canada is really happy to once again support Homestand," said Paige Gignac, community investment specialist with K+S. "This is a great event for the whole community, and ultimately supports youth mental health initiatives in Moose Jaw, which is really important to us and our Youth+S program."

RSP is a volunteer-driven, non-profit organization which uses entertainment to promote wellness in Moose Jaw. 

The money from RSP events goes to a fund accessible by Prairie South School Division and Holy Trinity Catholic School Division for events, activities, and projects that support youth mental health and well-being. Since its inception, RSP events including the annual Homestand concert have raised over $300,000 for this cause. 

Over the past four years, Homestand has attracted top-tier musical acts like Corb Lund, Matt Mays, Nice Horse, Chilliwack, Lindi Ortega, and Barney Bentall to Moose Jaw.

The Homestand concert is held annually at Ross Wells Backpark (photo by Jordan Rivers)
The crowd at Homestand '23 (photo by Jordan Rivers)

RSP started as the project of five friends: Jared Mathieson, James Murdock, Shae Jameson, Andy Hamilton, and Joel Stewart. The Homestand committee has expanded as the event matures into a tradition in the Notorious City, and this is important because of the now-annual challenge of attempting to top each previous year. 

“Let’s be honest, we had a problem, right? Homestand ‘23 was pretty great — it was a pretty emotional experience for a lot of us ... who have been involved with this festival since we started it,” explained Joel Stewart. Stewart is a Toronto-based pillar of the Canadian music industry who has worked with stars from Taylor Swift to Corb Lund to One Direction. 

“The park was full, and the music was great, and people were dancing and having a good time, and we’re like, well, ‘How are we going to top this?’” 

The RSP team thinks they’ve found their answer with a hot new lineup for 2024. They believe they have something for everyone: 

  • 54-40 — These Vancouver-based Canadian rockstars bring a four-decade catalogue of hits like “I Go Blind”, “Ocean Pearl”, and “One Gun” 

  • Doc Walker — Multiple CCMA Award- and Juno Award-winning country duo Doc Walker will deliver their signature harmonies and top ten hits 

  • Belle Plaine — Saskatchewan roots songstress known for her 2018 album Malice, Mercy, Grief & Wrath 

  • Trick Ryder — Formed in 1992 by Moose Jaw’s own Kelly Bourdages, Trick Ryder is locally beloved and has been taking their popular show across Canada for nearly 20 years 

  • The Steadies — These road warriors from Saskatoon are consummate musicians who play over 100 shows a year worldwide, including appearances at festivals and awards shows across Canada 

  • Toque — Canadian supergroup consisting of Todd Kerns, Brent Fitz, Shane Gaalaas, and Cory Churko, each member of Toque is a multi-instrumental legend who for decades has made their own names while sharing the stage with acts like Shania Twain, Slash feat. Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators, Kelly Clarkson, Nickleback, Alice Cooper, and many more 

Other big changes from previous years include the elimination of the Banjo Bowl live stream, a limited run of 2,000 tickets, and a slightly bigger stage to accommodate a six-act show. 

The event would also not be possible without the assistance of over 100 volunteers. Additionally, the beverage and food trucks outside the gates are obviously a huge draw. 

Tickets for Homestand ’24 will be available on Friday, April 19, in-person at the Moose Jaw Cultural Centre Box Office or online on the Moose Jaw Cultural Centre website.  

“I’m not saying you should necessarily rush out on the 19th to get your tickets,” Murdock added, “but we know they are all going to go.” 

For more information, or to find out how to get involved, contact info@riverstreetpromotions.com. 

Completed events supported by RSP fundraising

  • Central Collegiate hosted a gym blast between semester 1 and semester 2 to show students that it is all about balance when it comes to mental wellness.  

  • Coronach School accessed RSP funds to host an assembly and workshop titled The Power of Possibility, which equipped students with practical tools to develop a clearer understanding of how multi-dimensional they are. 

  • Coronach School had Brad Siroski, a certified Mental Health and Addictions Counsellor, facilitate two engaging and interactive presentations, one for Grades 7-9 and one for Grades 10-12. 

  • Craik School also had Siroski present to their student body about stigmas around mental health and how he battled back from addictions. 

  • The Riverview Collegiate SRC partnered with Journey to Hope Moose Jaw to create a presentation on avoiding extra stress that can be caused by the holiday season and healthy ways to cope through a season that can be tough on some.  The school then accessed RSP funds to host a school-wide Christmas dinner. 

  • Empire School used RSP funds to partner with Harmony Arts. Every grade level participated in a 45-minute to one-hour workshop to explore drama and improv, exploring emotions through theatre and building communication skills.  

  • Peacock Collegiate brought the three Moose Jaw Collegiates together to listen to Cadmus Delorme speak about his journey as a young boy who overcame racism.