APTN announces 4th annual Aboriginal Day Live celebration

- Free concerts celebrate Aboriginal heritage, culture and entertainment across the country -

WINNIPEG, May 26 /CNW/ - Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) will once again stage its annual Aboriginal Day Live celebration on Sunday, June 20th, 2010, in honour of National Aboriginal Day and the summer solstice (June 21st), with high-profile, simultaneous-running concerts in both Winnipeg, Manitoba and Ottawa, Ontario.

Entering its fourth year as Canada's largest celebration of National Aboriginal Day, this year's free events will feature some of the biggest names in aboriginal entertainment performing a variety of music, comedy and traditional dance led by Juno Award winning, singer, songwriter and philanthropist Chantal Kreviazuk. The celebrations will be part of a LIVE national broadcast and take place at The Forks in Winnipeg and the sacred Victoria Island site in Ottawa. Both venues have historical connections to the strong contributions of Aboriginal Peoples.

"APTN is excited for all Canadians to take part in the Aboriginal Day Live concerts and celebrate Canada's strong Aboriginal heritage and culture," said Sky Bridges, APTN Director of Marketing. "Last year, over 15,000 Canadians attended Aboriginal Day Live performances in Whitehorse and Winnipeg. With an expanded list of superior Canadian talent performing in venues rich with Aboriginal tradition, we're confident that Canadians will once again come out and enjoy this historic celebration of Aboriginal pride."

In Winnipeg, actor Nathaniel Arcand, star of the groundbreaking comedy, Moose TV, and APTN National News co-anchor Patrice Mousseau will host the stage which will headline Chantal Kreviazuk. Other performers on the Winnipeg stage include seven time Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Award nominee Don Amero, Keith Secola, who combines traditional Aboriginal percussions, world beat and tribal dance, Grammy nominated and seven time Native American Music Award winner Jana Mashonee, 2008 Aboriginal Peoples Choice Award winner for Best Hip Hop CD Red Power Squad, and Tumivut, a group that mixes contemporary music with traditional Inuit throat singing.

The Ottawa stage will be hosted by star of the Gemini-nominated APTN comedy, Fish Out of Water, writer/comedian Don Kelly and award-winning, Gemini-nominated actor Jennifer Podemski. The Ottawa stage will showcase performances from the 2010 Juno Award winner of Aboriginal Album of the Year Digging Roots, the daring emcee, artist and entrepreneur Plex, Best New Artist Juno nominee Kinnie Starr, vibrantly talented Inuk singer/songwriter Lucie Idlout, the smooth synthesizer tones from DJ Madeskimo and solo singer/songwriter Inez, who combines traditional Aboriginal sounds with contemporary hip hop and R&B.

The exclusive three-and-a-half hour Aboriginal Day Live 2010 celebration will air on APTN and APTN HD Sunday, June 20 LIVE at 8:30 pm ET (5:30 pm PT; 6:30 pm MT; 7:30 pm CT).

On November 6th, 2009, Aboriginal Day Live '09 won Best Television Program Promotion of Aboriginal Music at the 2009 Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards.

For more information on APTN's Aboriginal Day Live 2010 visit www.aboriginaldaylive.com

For more information on Victoria Island visit www.aboriginalexperiences.com

About APTN:

September 1, 2009 marked the 10-year anniversary of the launch of the first national Aboriginal television network in the world with programming by, for and about Aboriginal Peoples to share with all Canadians and viewers around the world. APTN is available in approximately 10 million Canadian households and commercial establishments with cable, direct-to-home satellite (DTH), telco-delivered and fixed wireless television service providers. The network launched its high definition channel APTNHD in the spring of 2008. APTN does not receive government funding for operations but generates revenue through subscriber fees, advertising sales and strategic partnerships. APTN broadcasts programming with 56% offered in English, 16% in French and 28% in Aboriginal languages. For program schedule or for more information, please contact APTN at [phone] or toll-free at 1-888-278-8862, or visit the website at www.aptn.ca.

For further information: Sylvia Kolopenuk, Manager of Communications, APTN, [phone] ext. 339, [email protected]; Alexandra Pecoskie, Optimum Public Relations, [phone], [email protected]