Just me and 100 of my closest friends. Another day-long day-party taking over your picnic blanket and with a legendary reputation during NXNE (despite being a non-official NXNE event) was the 4th Annual 159 Manning BBQ. Write that ish down, cuz maybe you’ll wanna get tickets next year, and crunch on pig skin before heading to Dundas Square or something.

Mad scientist behind it all and George Strombo’s audience coordinator Tim McCready kept the lineup a secret, but promised from 1pm – 11pm, 10 musical acts and four DJs on three stages, two poetry/literary readings, photographer Chris van Doorn shooting film portraits in a room-turned-studio, and two huge pigs roasting on a spit for eating. Hey, when I indulge in meat I at least want it to be pure and real, rather than blended and re-made into a nugget shape, right y’all?

Babely harp phenoms The Harp Twins, (identical twins Camille and Kennerly) started the day with an acoustic set and finished things off at the sweet end by plugging in and going electric. Other acts became revealed throughout the day, like Buck 65, Choir! Choir! Choir! featuring member and BBQ host with the most Tim, Julie Doiron + Rick White, Cola Heads, Unfinished Business, Cousins, Little Orton Hoggit, Dusted and Shellshag among others. 

~ Becca Lemire

Photos by Becca Lemire (Click to Enlarge)