There’s quite a competitive rivalry going on in Cumberland this summer.
If all goes well, it’s going to end up costing two people their hair.
Two of the village’s best known women are going – pardon the pun – head-to-head for the Tour de Rock. And there’s lots at stake. Make that “locks” at stake.
It all started with a poster in the Vancouver Island MusicFest’s program.
There, on the inner cover, was a photo of production manager Cresslynn Fay with the headline “Off with her head… well, maybe just her hair.”
The poster was the official announcement that Fay had agreed to have her hair shaved if $5,000 was raised at a special concert at the Cumberland Hotel on Sept. 4.
“Join an all-star cast of musicians united for the baldness of Cresslyn,” it read.
The culprit?
Well, it was a joint effort, but one of the creators of the event is Jean Cameron, who owns Cameron’s Salon and is also the chairperson for the wildly popular Cumberland Motorcycle Roundup.
But Cameron is not getting away scott free.
Fay has decided to return the favour. Now if Fay can raise $5,000, Cameron will lose her locks as well.
Game on.
“She can do what she wants, but all the money raised at the concert is mine,” said Cameron with a laugh. “Doug Cox and I got together and arranged it all right under her nose.”
“Oh, I have some tricks up my sleeve for the night,” replied Fay, who, quite literally, holds the power for the concert, as the owner of the Cumberland Hotel. “I can always interrupt the concert and demand a jar is filled with money or the plug gets pulled on the night.”
“I should learn how to keep my inside voice from turning into my outside voice, because I gave her that idea,” said Cameron.
A battle is definitely brewing – with the Tour de Rock as the big winner.
Thursday’s concert at the “Cumby” will feature a who’s who of Valley musicians.
“Musicians who have agreed to join us, and donate their time, include myself, The Dukes of Dodge, Little Big Shot, Todd Butler, PK Tessman, Helen Austin, Lincoln Foster Band, James Lambert, Danny Zanbilowicz and there will be more to come,” said MusicFest executive producer and artistic director Doug Cox, who will have just returned from a whirlwind working tour that included stops in Italy and Alaska.
The two ‘besties’ are just happy to be doing something substantial for the cause.
“We just wanted to bring some added attention to the Tour de Rock,” said Cameron. “Cresslynn and I have been best friends for a really, really long time and everyone around here was trying to get us to do something.
“Mud wrestling was suggested, but we are getting too old for orthopedic trauma, so this was a suitable alternative to Jell-O wrestling, or mud wrestling, or whatever else they were suggesting we do.”
Admission to Thursday’s fundraiser is by donation. There will be a silent auction at the show. But the fundraising doesn’t end on Thursday night.
There’s a chance at some sweet revenge for past head-shaving participants as well, although this revenge won’t come cheap.
“I always do the head-shaving of the other people at the Tour de Rock event,” said Cameron. “This year it’s sort of a role reversal. Dave Stevens, who always emcees the (Cumberland) Tour de Rock event came up with the idea of auctioning off the right to shave my head. The highest bidder will have the opportunity to shave whoever’s head they choose - mine or Cresslynn’s.”
(The Tour de Rock head shaving will take place at the Cumberland Rec Hall on Sept. 24 this year.)
As for the two personalities involved, there are very few residents of Cumberland who don’t know Cresslynn Fay or Jean Cameron. They said that’s what will make this fundraiser work.
“Cresslynn, with her work at MusicFest, and then we both do the bike rally together…, I think we have a pretty good web through the community,” said Cameron. “So I think if we could get these people to come out, even if it’s just for one specialty night, doing something silly, it creates some interest in the community.”
“We just figured we are so well known in this community. You may love us, you may hate us...,” said Fay.
“Either way, we just want your money,” deadpanned Cameron.
Thursday night’s fundraiser starts at 7 p.m.