Village Gamer

Grab your shades because Family Channel’s Big Ticket Summer campaign is looking bright with the announcement of not one, not two, but three Big Ticket Summer Concerts. Presented by LEGO Friends, this summer’s can’t-miss concert tour will make stops in Halifax (Friday, August 22; Halifax Metro Centre), Toronto (Saturday, August 23; Molson Canadian Amphitheatre) and Edmonton (Monday, August 25; Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium) featuring a show-stopping lineup headlined by Australian pop sensation, Cody Simpson.

Singer, songwriter and chart-topper Cody Simpson will undoubtedly make musical waves when he anchors Family’s Big Ticket Summer Concert tour, in partnership with Live Nation. From his latest album Surfers Paradise to his recent performance on season 18 of Dancing with the Stars, Simpson proves he can deliver a memorable stage show for Family fans of all ages. Joining him on the tour is the multi-talented
Sabrina Carpenter, who stars as Maya Hart in the new series Girl Meet World; YouTube phenomenon Megan Nicole, whose music videos are featured on Family; and, making a special appearance at the Toronto show, pop rock band, Crystalyne.

Hilarious Canuck Calum Worthy, star of Austin & Ally and his own short series The Coppertop Flop Show, hosts the concert tour and the cast of the hit Canadian series The Next Step make their third Big Ticket Summer Concert appearance as they return to the stage for a high-energy dance performance guaranteed to bring the crowd to its’ feet.

Concert lovers who can’t wait to get their hands on tickets for the star-studded event can beat the rush by tuning into Family tonight, at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT, for an encore presentation of the 2013 Big Ticket Summer Concert. During the broadcast, a special pre-sale code will appear which viewers can enter immediately at Family.ca to purchase tickets to any of the three concert locations. A limited quantity of tickets will be available in advance of the public on-sale date on Friday, June 6 at 10 a.m. Viewers will have to react quickly as the pre-sale code will expire when the limited quantity is sold out, or on Thursday, June 5 at 10 p.m. ET, whichever comes first. For additional event information and to purchase tickets, please visit Family.ca or TicketMaster.

Starting today, Family.ca is home to all things Big Ticket Summer featuring details about the host and performers and music videos from the concert’s artists. Later this month, the website will host two exciting contests: the “My Concert, My T-Shirt Contest,” which offers budding fashion designers and amateur artists the chance to submit their designs for a limited edition concert tee; and the “LEGO Friends VIP Experience Contest,” where viewers can enter for the chance to win an once-in-a-lifetime trip for four to the Toronto show. For full contest rules and regulations, please visit the event page.

Family’s Big Ticket Summer wouldn’t be complete without a non-stop programming lineup and new to the schedule this year is Family Channel’s Big Ticket Summer Playlist series. Bringing fans even closer to their favourite stars, the half-hour episodes showcase a compilation of music videos hand-picked by the network’s biggest celebs to describe what they’re listening to this summer. Featured guests include: concert host Calum Worthy and performers Sabrina Carpenter and Megan Nicole; musical all-stars Austin Mahone and R5; and Family regulars Peyton List (Jessie) and Kelli Berglund (Lab Rats), among others. New episodes air Tuesdays at 6 p.m. ET/PT beginning July 1.

This series joins previously announced premieres of the Disney Channel Original Movie, Zapped, featuring megastar Zendaya, and the eagerly-awaited comedy Girl Meets World, both bowing on Friday, June 27. Additional details surrounding Family’s big summer specials will be released in the coming weeks.