Grand Falls-Windsor hosts first songwriter’s circle as a part of the 2019 Exploits Valley Salmon Festival

Chris Ryan sees potential in a new event at the Exploits Valley Salmon Festival.  
Just the thought of hosting the inaugural songwriters circle this weekend has the renowned Newfoundland musician counting the days until the festival opens.
However, it's the fact that it will be hosted in the Gorden Pinsent Centre for the Arts in Grand Falls-Windsor that really gets his juices going, given its intimate setting and the lineup people can expect to see. 
With the help of Music NL, Ryan will be joined on the stage by some powerhouses in Newfoundland music. People will get to see Chris LeDrew, Janet Cull, Sherry Ryan, Paul Lamb and Mallory Johnson. 
“There is a great group of artists and it is something that can be really special,” he said. “Between the group, it is going to be a heck of show.” 
Having been to various award ceremonies across the country and seeing songwriter’s circles happen at these places, Ryan sees intricate value in them. Generally, these circles are treated as one of the marquee events of the weekend. They give audiences the chance to hear some of their favourite artists perform in an intimate setting, while sharing some stories. 
The Grand Falls-Windsor show will be an acoustic one and could feature some songs people haven’t heard before. There is also the chance for some collaboration. 
“Everybody brings something special to the table,” said Ryan. “The idea is to leave a lasting impression.” 
The songwriter’s circle is scheduled to go ahead on Saturday from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.