There was an outpouring of excitement as RAS board of director member Bill Andrews introduced The Arrogant Worms during the first Festival of Small Halls event in Russell. People of all ages gathered at St. Paul’s and St. Andrew’s United Church to enjoy a magical afternoon while being entertained by The Arrogant Worms seen here soon after they arrived onstage.  Thompson Goddard Photo

RUSSELL – There was an air of excitement in St. Andrew’s and St. Paul’s United Church (SASPUC) in Russell as the minutes ticked towards the 3 p.m. start of the performance of the Canadian musical comedy trio, The Arrogant Worms on Sun., Oct. 22. The event was part of the 2023 Ontario Festival of Small Halls (FSH) and hosted collaboratively by the Russell Agricultural Society (RAS) and SASPUC.

The Arrogant Worms was founded in 1991 and has delighted audiences since then with their parodies of many musical genres and funny on-stage banter. The Ontario Festival of Small Halls began in 2014 and have been bringing musical performances to smaller Ontario communities since then.

“We are very honoured to be part of the 2023 Festival of Small Halls, showcasing the beauty of Russell during this colourful season,” said RAS board of director member Bill Andrews. He wished to thank the FSH organization and its sponsors which include the Government of Ontario and the Government of Canada.

Andrews explained after coming up with the idea of Russell participating in the FSH, he reached out to the church that provided the venue for the sold-out event. He had wanted to bring the festival to Russell, to increase the profile of the community, noting there was a fantastic response from people both inside and outside of Russell with 150 tickets sold.

The Russell 4-H organization held a bake sale during the event, providing guests with the opportunity to enjoy a delicious snack during the intermission between the two sets.