Rogers Sarnia Bayfest was an annual music festival held in Centennial Park in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada each July, from 1999 to 2012. At its end, the event was attracting approximately 100,000 visitors. As of 2007, Bayfest was run by Bayfest Festival of Performing Arts; a non-profit charitable organization, which involved and benefited a number of charities. Bayfest Festival of Performing Arts donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to local non-profit organizations. Bayfest also had 2 scholarship programs for Sarnia-Lambton County students. The first was The Jim Stokley Scholarship which was founded after the passing of Jim Stokley (co-founder of Bayfest); the second was a Bayfest/Metalworks Institute scholarship. Two Jim Stokley Scholarships and one Bayfest/Metalworks Institute scholarship were given out annually. For 2009, 2010 and 2011, Bayfest split into two week-ends in July: Rock acts played on the 2nd weekend, and Country on the 3rd weekend. The festival won numerous awards, including the Ontario Tourism's Best Business/Event of the year award in 2009, and Festival and Events Ontario's Festival of Distinction award, which is a Lifetime Achievement award. On February 25, 2013, the Sarnia Bayfest announced it was taking an indefinite hiatus as a result of high debt, increasing costs and stagnant sponsorships. Performers 1999 - Amanda Marshall, April Wine, Prairie Oyster, Sloan, Whiskey River Band 2000 - 9 House, Big Wreck, David Wilcox, Kim Mitchell, Loverboy, Matthew Good Band, Moist 2001 - 9 House, Collective Soul, Everclear, George Thorogood, Staggered Crossing, Tom Cochrane, Treble Charger, Wide Mouth Mason 2002 - 9 House, Flicker, The Guess Who, The Headstones, Nickelback, Our Lady Peace, Sloan, The Tragically Hip, The Watchmen 2003 - Barenaked Ladies, Barlow, Blink-182, Cheap Trick, Foo Fighters, Getaway, Matthew Good, Sum 41, Pete Yorn 2004 - 9 House, Bryan Adams, Colin James, Death Of 8, Finger Eleven, The Spades, The Tragically Hip, ZZ Top 2005 - 3 Doors Down, Alter Bridge, Amanda Stott, Billy Talent, David Lee Roth, Flyleaf, High Holy Days, Jody Raffoul, Kalan Porter, Kid Rock, No Address, Staind 2006 - Astronaut, Brooks and Dunn, Buckcherry, Collective Soul, Everclear, Gretchen Wilson, Keith Urban, Scott Manery & The Barnburners 2007 - Aerosmith, Def Leppard, Faber Drive, Hedley, Nickelback, Scott Manery & The Barnburners, Toby Keith 2008 - The Black Crowes, Big & Rich ft. Cowboy Troy, Bon Jovi, Crash Kelly, Crystal Gage, Daphne Darling, Death Of 8, Down With Webster, Emerson Drive, Face to Face, Fergie, Low Level