Canada Day celebrations in Henderson Lake Park was packed though the crowd started to disperse by the time I arrived , taking cover from some ugly looking clouds.

 I wanted to see up and coming country singer Chris Strei, who was playing a solo set of original music and a few covers.

He had an appealing voice, sort of reminiscent of Chris Stapleton but more of a tenor.

He added a touch of Canadiana by covering some Blue Rodeo as well.

 The Desert Wind Belly Dancers weren’t perturbed as the rain and wind started blowing in.

The performers beamed through a frenetic set of circus themed set of uptempo dancing and an array or props and costumes including embossed top hats and swords.

The main act I wanted to see was Alyssa Mcquaid and Coyote Junction who I hadn’t seen for a while.

 They stuck to the hits, the hits and more hits getting the audience on their feet and shaking off the cold, to the tune of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s“Sweet Home Alabama and Van Morrison’s “Brown Eyed Girl ,”  Sweet’s “Ballroom Blitz,” which Alyssa McQuaid sang.

They also covered  Cheap Trick’s “ I Want You to Want Me” and a fun version of Kenny Loggins’ “Footloose.”

 One of their guitarists sang a couple of the more country numbers including the Zac Brown band’s “Countrified,” and The always popular Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Hit “ Fishin’ In the Dark.”

— By Richard Amery, L.a. Beat Editor