Russell Peters to Headline Sault’s Inaugural WTF Festival

Tourism Sault Ste. Marie news release…
Show me the funnayyyyyy! Gemini Award-winning comedian and actor Russell Peters is taking a detour north on his Deported World Tour to stop in Sault Ste. Marie. His gut-busting headline performance will anchor the inaugural WTF Festival June 7 to 9 as one of three signature events.

The festival will combine a mix of comedy, variety and stand up performances featuring Canada’s best entertainers. With event tickets, bundles and accommodation packages available at www.wtffestival.ca, the three-day festival includes the following:

Friday, June 8

The Dave Broadfoot Awards at the Machine Shop (12:30 p.m.)
Dave Broadfoot, known as the “father” of stand-up comedy in Canada, entertained audiences live and on TV as an integral part of the Royal Canadian Air Farce. The awards ceremony named in his honour has Air Farce members present the Dave Broadfoot Award for Comedic Genius, along with the Roger Abbott Award for breakout artist of the year. The luncheon will officially kick off the WTF Festival, where national industry celebrities will be in attendance to pay tribute to the 2018 winners. Former Dave Broadfoot Award winners include: Ron James, Russell Peters, Robin Duke, Mary Walsh, Mike MacDonald, Colin Mochrie, Jeremy Hotz, Irwin Barker and Jayne Eastwood.

Russell Peters Deported World Tour at the Essar Centre (8 p.m.)
Named by Rolling Stone magazine as one of the “Best 50 Comics of All Time,” Russell Peters has gained international stardom as one of Canada’s top standup performers. His comedy is rooted in the experiences of a second-generation son of south Asian parents in a western world. He recently returned to his roots in the hit TV comedy show The Indian Detective. Peters has played to sold-out venues around the world and was the first standup comedian to sell-out Toronto’s Air Canada Centre – not once, but six consecutive times. His performance at the WTF Festival will be his first appearance in Sault Ste. Marie, where he is adding a stop in his global Deported World Tour to headline the festival.

Saturday, June 9

A Murder on the Agawa Express: A Comedy Murder Mystery aboard the Agawa Canyon Train Tour
With the best Canadian comedy talent in town, there is no better way to assemble an all-star cast for this murder mystery train tour. This is your chance to get up close and interact with the funniest folks in the business. As the train prepares to depart from the station, a prominent comedian will be “murdered,” and a few sketchy individuals playing themselves or characters will be identified as suspects. An interactive show will continue as the train winds its way through rugged Northern Ontario landscape and, when it returns to the station, all will be revealed and the culprit will be captured. Limited tickets are available.

WTF Variety Show at the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre (8 p.m.)
From trains to planes! The WTF Variety Show will cap off the festival weekend with an assembly of talent at the evening show at one of the Sault’s most unique venues, the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre. Watch for future announcements of feature acts and supporting shows to complete the WTF Variety night.
Also included in the WTF Festival lineup are:

Great White North Set and Interactive Comedy Stage, where kids and adults alike can capture their own SCTV moments or try their hand at stand-up comedy;
Late night club-style comedy shows at various venues throughout the city;
A school engagement program offering comedic relief workshops with local youth; and
Laughter yoga offered as both a team building initiative and outreach to corporate supporters.
WTF Festival tickets and accommodation packages will be available starting Friday, February 9th at 10 a.m. To purchase, please visit www.wtffestival.ca. There are three ticket bundle options to choose from:

The VIP option is your inclusive weekend pass and includes accommodations, meet-and-greet opportunities (where available), preferred seating and access to all WTF Festival events.
The BIG SHOW package includes accommodations, tickets to the Russell Peters Deported World Tour show, and your choice of tickets to individual events.
The local ticket bundle offers a discounted inclusive admission weekend pass without accommodations.
Tickets for the Russell Peters Deported World Tour show range from $45 to $75, plus taxes and fees. They will be available beginning Friday, February 9 at 10 a.m. There will also be a limited number of VIP passes. To purchase, go to the Essar Centre box office, visit www.essarcentre.ca/concerts or call 1-866-775-9422.

The WTF Festival is an initiative developed by Tourism Sault Ste. Marie, a division of the Sault Ste. Marie Economic Development Corporation. In its visitor-attraction efforts, the organization works to secure and support major festivals, conferences, sports tournaments and other events.

“Our team initiated the WTF Festival as an effort to draw tourists to the region for a unique weekend of fun, laughter and enjoyment,” said Ian McMillan, Executive Director of Tourism Sault Ste. Marie. “The festival also provides a great opportunity for local citizens to see some great entertainment and take part in a number of comedy-related events and activities. We would like to acknowledge the support of Tourism Northern Ontario to help launch this exciting new initiative.”