About BroFest

Brofest originated in Fall 2006 to honour Nicholas Hurlbut, a beloved friend and member of Burlington's thriving music community, who lost his battle with cancer on August 21, 2006. The first Brofest concert (affectionally dubbed "Brofest '85") was an opportunity for Nick's friends to turn their grief into something positive, meaningful, and productive. In cooperation with the Burlington YMCA, Brofest brought together a menagerie of local bands to raise funds and cancer awareness, as well as provide an opportunity for friends and family to connect in celebration of Nicholas's life. Bands generously donated not only their time and talent, but all proceeds from ticket sales and merchandise. Ultimately, the original Brofest raised over $10 000 for various cancer related organizations.

One year later, with the support of the Burlington Community Foundation, Brofest was able build upon the energy and principles of the original event, while implementing a more sophisticated and extensive fundraising programme. We are pleased to announce that all proceeds from the 2007 event were directly donated to the newly established Nicholas Hurlbut Memorial Fund. The fund (which is explained in greater detail in the "Charity" section of this website) benefits local palliative care facility The Carpenter Hospice, which has provided invaluable support to terminally ill individuals and their families since 2002.

This year, fueled by the overwhelming success of the previous two concerts, we have decided to expand BROFEST into a three day affair. While the original focus on music, positivity and community will be preserved, this year we hope to increase the educative function of the festival by offering information on healthy living and cancer prevention, as well as opportunities for getting involved in the community. 2008's BROFEST promises to be even more explosive than previous years with more events, more limited edition merchandise, and more opportunities to get informed and involved in the fight against cancer.

3rd Annual BroFest - October 3, 2008 (click "Events" for more information)