Small Towns, Big Stages Award

Mitch with Keigan MacLennan and Alisdair Cameron, the recipients of the 2019 Small Towns, Big Stages award.

If you follow us on social media you know we have an enormous love of music. Music has played a significant role in our lives, especially Mitch’s.

In 2019, Mitch started the “Small Towns, Big Stages” award in a small effort to give back to the communities that supported him on his musical journey that took him from his first musical performances in his hometown to some of the biggest venues in the country. The award consists of a $1000 Long & McQuade gift card and has been given to some extremely talented high school graduates over the past 5 years. This award was made possible with the help of the Clove Hitch Bar and Bistro that provided the venue where Mitch hosted “Open Mic with Mitch at the Hitch” every Friday in the summer months before the pandemic. At each Open Mic there was a tip jar where 100% of the proceeds went towards the award. Long & McQuade and the Inverness County Municipality also generously contributed to the award. This allowed the graduates listed below to cash in a gift card at Long & McQuade, every musician’s favorite store.

2019

  • Alisdair Cameron - $1000 – Dalbrae

  • Keigan MacLennan - $1000 - Dalbrae

2020

  • Maggie Power - $1000 - Dalbrae

  • Seonaide Campbell - $500 - Dalbrae

  • Connor MacLean – $500 – Dalbrae

2021

  • Seph Clark - $1000 – CBHA

  • Malcolm MacMaster – $500 – Dalbrae

  • Evany Lesvesconte – $500 - Dalbrae

2022

  • Isabelle Samson - $1000 – RECA

  • Isaac Campbell – $1000 – Dalbrae

  • Robyn Eckhart – $1000 - Dr JH Gillis Regional High School

2023

  • Keira Landry - $1000 – RECA

  • Katie Agnes MacNeil – $1000 – Dalbrae

  • Dean Huskins – $1000 - Dr JH Gillis Regional High School

Our hope every year is to give at least three $1000 awards to three talented graduates. The first to a graduate from Dalbrae located in Mabou, where Mitch went to high school. The second to a graduate from Dr. John Hugh Regional High School in Antigonish, Mitch’s new hometown. The third to a musical graduate from the SRCE. To help reach this goal, $2 from every t-shirt sold will go towards the Small Town, Big Stages award. When Mitch isn’t selling houses or coaching hockey, he will hopefully get back to gigging and the tip jar will resurface once again.