FIREFIGHTERS BALL – Live Music: Big Tobacco & the Pickers / Robert Thomas
A night of fundraising for the Wolfe Island Fire & Rescue
TWO EVENTS: join us for one or both!
6PM: Steak Dinner — the dinner is now sold out. See the other event page for more info.
7:30PM: Live music featuring Big Tobacco & the Pickers / Robert Thomas
ADMISSION: Open to the public, by donation
50/50 draw
WIPP pizza at 9pm
Our beautiful community is grateful and privileged to have such a dedicated group of men and women who volunteer with the Wolfe Island Fire and Rescue with compassion and professionalism everyday for each of us – THANK YOU VOLUNTEERS. This year there is a need to purchase a new piece of equipment that will help each of them respond with efficiency and precision for a better overall response to medical emergencies. This and the after event is to raise funds for that equipment.
7:30PM – ROBERT THOMAS
2025 International Acoustic Music Award Winner Robert Thomas has crafted songs for legends including Kenny Rogers, Bonnie Raitt, Joe Cocker and the Dixie Chicks. As a staff writer for music publishing, Thomas was tasked with writing hits and his diverse repertoire reflects that. He writes songs we can all connect with – memorable sing along melodies, clever, ear friendly lyrics couched in an wide ranging array of rhythms – all introduced with a captivating, often humorous, repartee that is a throwback to the story telling era of Mark Twain, Garrison Keillor and Stuart Maclean. Accompanied on fiddle, mandolin, guitar, keyboards and percussion by the legendary “sessionmen” – Ray Legere and Jon Arsenault – whose credits in their own right include, Alison Krauss, Rita MacNeil, Doc Watson, Tony Rice and The Chieftains – Thomas delivers beautiful and energetic Folk/Americana mixed with a touch of Bluegrass that has captivated audiences across North America and Europe, and garnered Entertainer of the Year and multiple songwriter nominations from the East Coast Music Association. With a hotly anticipated new album, produced by Juno Winner Catherine MacLellan dropping May 1, Robert Thomas and the sessionmen are excited to be back on the road across North America in 2025/26.
One sentence from Rodney Crowell sums up the artistry of Robert Thomas and the sessionmen – “These boys know what they’re doing.”
8:30PM – BIG TOBACCO & THE PICKERS
Get your boots shined up, Big Tobacco are back! They’ve quickly become Wolfe Island favourites, after the good times at previous Firefighters Ball benefit shows.
Since 2008, Big Tobacco & the Pickers have been bringing their unique brand of traditional country to bar rooms, taverns, halls and festivals around Ontario. Their ongoing monthly residency at Toronto roots institution The Cameron House, has gained them a loyal following of country music fans.
Regular appearances at legendary rooms like The Dakota Tavern and The Cadillac Lounge, have helped develop their gritty live show into what it is today – a glimpse back at the golden age of country music. Their renditions of the hard hitting classics, along with traditional sounding original material, will make you and your friends want to dance all night, drink too much, and leave you wanting more.
From the rich tones of the pedal steel, to the hot licks of the Fender Telecaster, Big Tobacco & the Pickers deliver a new brand of country music, true to old school tradition.
