THE FONTHILL COFFEE HOUSE TAKES PLACE THE 2ND. FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH at the Old Town Hall on Canboro Rd. in Ridgeville (NB:  NO COFFEE HOUSE IN JULY AND AUGUST)
Doors open at 7:30 and the music starts at 8:00 PM - or even earlier! We break from 9:30 to 10:00 for Door Prize Draws and Pizza!

For further information, directions, or inquiries please contact: Jim Stephenson at (905) 892-0732 or Graeme Box at (905) 563-1226

The FCH is a non-profit co-op providing a friendly informal venue for musicians/performers (amateur and pro alike) to "try out" their stuff in front of a live audience.

In keeping with the "coffeehouse" concept, acoustic-based music is encouraged but we do accept electric music as well, as long as the volume is kept to a reasonable level - because we are after all "family oriented" and the audience often includes young children and seniors . We generally use the "open mike" concept which means that anyone who wants to perform can do so by entering their name on the "performer's list". On a typical evening, each performer gets to perform two or three pieces. The open mike portion gets going after the feature performer is on - generally 8:00 to 8:30 PM.

We have our own sound system including mixer/amp, microphones, cables, speaker bins, monitors, etc. Our volunteer "sound technicians" always work diligently to provide performers with a "good mix" through the system. Our core group of seasoned in-house musicians are there to help and support those who have little or no stage experience and can even provide back-up on demand.

Starting this season, the admission at the door will be a $3.00 donation, which goes towards rental of the hall and other various expenses. We also hold "draws" for various donated items (Monogrammed T-shirts, gift certificates, etc.). Our kitchen serves coffee, tea, soft drinks, pizza and other treats, all at a reasonable cost. Proceeds from the door, draws and refreshments are all donated to local charities and scholarships. So, if you enjoy live music or if you are a musician/performer looking for a venue to "try your wings", come on out and join us. We'd love to have you here.

As of the 2007-2008 season, the Fonthill Coffee House is now operating in association with the Port Colborne Folk Arts Council - be sure to check out their coffee house held at 8:00 PM on the 4th Friday of every month at St Patrick's Hall, King and Victoria Streets in Port Colborne.