There are events you produce. And then there are events that become moments. Moments where local media becomes national coverage. Where a charitable fundraiser becomes a showcase of what professional entertainment can accomplish when paired with the right mission.
There are events you produce. And then there are events that become moments.
Moments where local media becomes national coverage. Where a charitable fundraiser becomes a showcase of what professional entertainment can accomplish when paired with the right mission. Where performers don't just playâthey create television-worthy experiences that live on long after the last note fades.
This is the story of one of those moments: The DNA Project's live performance on CP24, broadcast from the Hamilton Convention Center, featuring our incredible vocalists Michelle Bookal and Jeana Wilson alongside R&B legend Kim Davis, supported by major sponsors like SickKids Hospital and Dream Maker, and delivered to television audiences across the Greater Toronto Area.
Looking back now, years later, this event still stands as one of the proudest productions in The DNA Project's history. Not because of the media attention (though that was extraordinary). But because it proved something we've always believed: great entertainment can amplify great causes.
Most charity events face the same challenge: how do you create an experience compelling enough to attract donors, sponsors, and media attentionâwhile keeping costs reasonable since funds need to go toward the cause?
The answer isn't cutting corners on entertainment. It's working with professionals who understand how to maximize impact while respecting budget realities.
When we were approached about producing entertainment for this charitable initiative supporting SickKids Hospital and Dream Maker, the vision was clear: create a professional-grade concert experience that would:
The stakes? Higher than a typical corporate event or private wedding. This wasn't just about one nightâit was about using entertainment to drive awareness and support for organizations doing life-changing work for children and families.
Here's what most people don't understand about getting media coverage for events: media outlets don't cover events just because you ask them to. They cover events that are newsworthy, visually compelling, and align with stories their audiences care about.
CP24âone of Toronto's most-watched news channelsâdoesn't show up to just any event. They show up when there's a story worth telling.
The charitable angle: SickKids Hospital is one of the most beloved charitable organizations in Canada. Any event supporting SickKids has built-in public interest. Add Dream Maker to the mix, and you have a story about entertainment professionals using their platform to support children's causes.
The talent caliber: This wasn't a school talent show or amateur hour. Kim Davis (established R&B artist), Michelle Bookal and Jeana Wilson (professional vocalists with serious credentials), plus performers like Luckystickz and Amber Hardyâthis was a legitimate concert-level production.
The production quality: CP24 knew that if they broadcast this event, it would look and sound professional. Our band, sound system, lighting, and stage production were television-ready. No embarrassing technical glitches or amateur performances that would reflect poorly on the broadcast.
The Hamilton story: Hamilton's arts and entertainment scene has been growing rapidly, but often gets overlooked in favor of Toronto coverage. A professional-grade charity concert in Hamilton? That's a story about community, culture, and cities beyond the GTA's typical spotlight.
Kayla Williams' support: Having CP24's Kayla Williams champion the event was crucial. Media personalities who believe in an event and its cause become powerful advocatesâtheir enthusiasm translates to coverage.
When CP24 broadcasts your event live, you're not just getting "some media attention." You're getting:
For The DNA Project, this coverage validated something we'd been building for years: that Hamilton could produce entertainment worthy of Toronto-level media attention.
This clip from the CP24 broadcast captures the energy of the live performanceâprofessional sound, polished performers, and the kind of production quality that makes events television-worthy.
The difference between a charity event people attend out of obligation versus one they genuinely enjoy? The talent.
For this event, we assembled a lineup that could hold its own against any ticketed concert in the region:
Michelle Bookal isn't just a singerâshe's a performer. There's a difference.
When Michelle took the stage to perform Deborah Cox's "How Did We Get Here," the room changed. This wasn't background entertainmentâthis was a moment. The kind of performance where conversations stop, phones come out to record, and the audience leans forward.
Watch Michelle's performance of "How Did We Get Here":
This audience phone video captures what professional photos and broadcast clips sometimes miss: the raw emotion and connection between performer and audience. Watch how Michelle commands the space, hits those Deborah Cox notes with precision, and creates a moment that had the entire convention center transfixed.
Michelle has been a core vocalist with The DNA Project for years, and this performance showcased exactly why: technical skill, emotional delivery, and the kind of stage presence that makes people remember an event long after it ends.
Jeana Wilson (now Jeana Lewis, Brand Ambassador for The DNA Project) brought a completely different but equally compelling energy to the stage.
Where Michelle delivered emotional ballad power, Jeana brought versatilityâmoving effortlessly from uptempo R&B to soulful delivery, demonstrating the range that makes her one of Hamilton's most sought-after vocalists.
Having both Michelle and Jeana on the same bill gave the event dynamic contrast. Audiences didn't get monotonous performance after performanceâthey got variety, surprise, and different flavors of excellence.
Kim Davis is an R&B veteranâsomeone whose name carries weight in Canadian music circles. Having Kim as a featured artist accomplished two critical things:
Credibility: When an established artist agrees to perform at your event, it signals that this is legitimate, professional, and worth attending.
Draw: Kim's existing fanbase became attendees, expanding the event's reach beyond just charitable supporters.
For a charity event, landing a headliner like Kim Davis is transformative. It elevates the entire production from "nice charitable gesture" to "must-attend event."
Comedian Jay Martin served as the event's host, and this is where many charity events make a critical mistake: they assume anyone can host.
Wrong.
Professional hosting requires:
Jay brought all of this, plus humor that kept the atmosphere light and engaging. Between musical performances, Jay filled transitions with comedy that kept audiences entertained during what could have been awkward setup changes.
Luckystickz and Amber Hardy added even more variety to the lineup, ensuring that no matter what musical taste someone brought to the event, they'd find something that resonated.
This is strategic programming: diverse lineup = broader appeal = larger audience = more impact for the cause.
CP24 doesn't broadcast just any event. They broadcast events that look and sound professional on television.
Here's what went into making this event broadcast-ready:
The Hamilton Convention Center is a large space. Large spaces require serious sound systems.
We deployed:
That last point is critical: television audio requirements are different from live venue audio. We needed to provide CP24 with a clean, balanced feed while simultaneously managing sound for the live audience. Two different requirements, both needing professional execution.
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Television cameras require proper lighting. Too dark and performers look muddy. Too bright and you wash out colors. Stage lighting for broadcast requires:
Our lighting design achieved dual purposes: made performers look great for in-person audiences AND for television cameras.
The stage setup needed to communicate professionalism visually. This meant:
When CP24's cameras panned across the stage, everything needed to signal "this is a professional production supporting a worthy cause."
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We didn't use tracks. We didn't rely on backing music.
We brought a full live bandâdrums, bass, guitar, keys, hornsâto deliver authentic, dynamic performances that responded to vocalists in real-time.
Live bands bring:
For a televised event, having live musicians visible in broadcast shots elevated the entire production's perceived value.
Everything we just describedâthe performers, the production, the media coverageâserved one ultimate purpose: raising awareness and support for SickKids Hospital and Dream Maker.
The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) is one of Canada's most respected pediatric healthcare and research centers. Every Canadian knows the SickKids name. Supporting SickKids means supporting:
When entertainment professionals like The DNA Project align with organizations like SickKids, we're using our platform and expertise to amplify causes that matter. The event wasn't just "a show"âit was a fundraising mechanism wrapped in an unforgettable experience.
Dream Maker focuses on creating positive experiences for children facing challenges. Whether through wish fulfillment, special events, or moments of joy during difficult times, Dream Maker works to ensure children have reasons to smile.
Pairing entertainment with Dream Maker's mission created a natural synergy: we create joyful experiences professionallyâDream Maker does the same thing charitably. This event was both organizations working in concert (literally) toward a shared goal.
Here's why professional entertainment matters for charitable events:
Higher attendance: People attend charity events they'll actually enjoy. Professional entertainment drives ticket sales.
Greater sponsor interest: Sponsors want to associate with quality events. Professional production attracts bigger sponsors willing to contribute more.
Media coverage multiplication: Media covers events that are newsworthy. Professional entertainment + charitable mission = compelling story = broader awareness.
Social sharing: Attendees share experiences that impressed them. Professional performances generate social media content that extends reach far beyond the venue.
Recurring support: When people have an amazing experience at a charity event, they return next year and bring friends. Professional entertainment builds sustainable fundraising.
This event proved all of these principles in action.
The Hamilton Convention Center was packed. Not polite charity event "we're here to support the cause" attendanceâactual excitement.
Audiences responded with:
This is what happens when you don't treat charity events as "lesser" productions requiring "good enough" entertainment. When you bring the same professionalism to charitable work as you would to a paying corporate client, audiences respond with genuine enthusiasm.
Remember: this event happened years ago, and we're still talking about it. Why? Because the content created that nightâthe broadcast clips, the audience phone videos, the professional photosâcontinues to circulate.
Michelle's performance of "How Did We Get Here" became a showcase piece. The CP24 broadcast clips became proof of concept for future media partnerships. The photos became portfolio additions that demonstrate capability.
One great event, professionally executed, creates content that serves you for years.
The CP24 coverage didn't happen by accident. It happened because we understood what makes events media-worthy. Here's what we learned that we've applied to every major event since:
Media outlets won't risk their reputation on events that might embarrass them. CP24 covered this event because they knewâbefore arrivingâthat the production quality would be television-ready.
This meant:
The principle: If you want media coverage, produce events worth covering.
Entertainment alone isn't newsworthy. Entertainment in service of SickKids Hospital and Dream Maker? That's a story.
Media outlets love stories that combine:
The principle: Pair great entertainment with meaningful causes, and media will pay attention.
Having Kim Davis headlining, plus established performers like Michelle Bookal and Jeana Wilson, signaled that this wasn't amateur hour. Media knew they'd be covering professionals, not taking risks on unknown quantities.
The principle: Book talent with proven track records when media coverage is a goal.
Kayla Williams' support at CP24 was crucial. Having a media advocate who believes in your event and will champion it internally makes all the difference.
Building relationships with media professionalsâby consistently producing quality events, being reliable, and creating content they want to coverâpays dividends over time.
The principle: Treat media as partners, not just coverage opportunities.
The broadcast clips, the audience videos, the professional photosâall of this became content that extended the event's impact far beyond that one night.
When planning events with media partners, think about:
The principle: One great event should generate content that serves multiple purposes for years.
The Hamilton Convention Center proved to be an excellent choice for this event, offering:
Capacity: Large enough to accommodate significant attendance (critical for fundraising success)
Professional infrastructure: Proper power, loading dock access, ceiling height for lighting rigs, acoustics that could handle live band
Accessibility: Easy for Hamilton and GTA attendees to reach, plus convenient for CP24's broadcast equipment
Flexible layout: Could be configured for concert-style seating, standing room, VIP areas, sponsor activation spaces
Professional appearance: The venue itself contributed to the overall production qualityâmodern, clean, appropriate for televised event
Venue selection matters enormously for events seeking media coverage. The Hamilton Convention Center provided the professional environment this event required.
Beyond the immediate fundraising success and media coverage, this event had lasting impact on Hamilton's entertainment scene:
For too long, Hamilton's entertainment scene was overlooked in favor of Toronto. This eventâbroadcast on CP24 to GTA audiencesâproved that Hamilton could produce professional-grade events worthy of major media attention.
The message: You don't need to go to Toronto for professional entertainment. Hamilton has talent, production capability, and venues that can deliver world-class experiences.
Michelle Bookal, Jeana Wilson, and other local performers gained exposure that elevated their profiles. Being featured on CP24 isn't just "nice"âit's career-building credibility.
For emerging artists, opportunities like this are transformative. National media coverage validates years of hard work and opens doors to bigger opportunities.
This event proved that professional entertainment isn't frivolousâit's a tool for driving charitable impact. When done right, entertainment attracts attendees, engages sponsors, generates media coverage, and ultimately raises more money for causes that matter.
Organizations like SickKids Hospital and Dream Maker benefit when entertainment professionals bring their A-game to charitable initiatives.
The DNA Project has produced many charity events since this one, but this event established a template:
This formula works. And it started with events like this one at the Hamilton Convention Center.
Most people see the finished productâthe polished performance, the enthusiastic crowd, the seamless broadcast. What they don't see is everything that happened before doors opened:
All of this coordination, all of this planning, all of this professional executionâthat's what creates events worthy of CP24 coverage.
The DNA Project has always believed that charitable work deserves the same professionalism as paid work. This event exemplified that philosophy:
Some entertainment providers treat charity events as "lesser" gigsâreduced effort, basic equipment, "good enough" execution.
Not us.
This event received the same production quality, the same attention to detail, the same professional execution as any corporate client paying full rate. Why? Because the cause deserved it, the performers deserved it, and the audience deserved it.
Having worked with media partners before, we knew exactly what CP24 needed:
Understanding these requirements allowed us to deliver what CP24 needed while simultaneously creating a great experience for in-person attendees.
Booking Michelle Bookal, Jeana Wilson, Kim Davis, and the rest of the stellar lineup wasn't luckâit was relationships built over years of professional work.
Top performers work with producers they trust. Our track record of professional, well-organized events made artists willing to participate in this charitable initiative.
This event created wins for everyone involved:
Great charitable events should benefit all stakeholders. This one did.
Let's create an experience that serves your cause and impresses your community.
The DNA Project specializes in:
The DNA Project
Professional Entertainment for Causes That Matter
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We've produced entertainment for charitable events supporting SickKids Hospital, Dream Maker, and numerous other worthy causes across Ontario. Let's discuss how we can amplify your mission through unforgettable entertainment.
Years later, this event at the Hamilton Convention Center still matters. Not just because of what we accomplished that night, but because of what it represented:
Entertainment professionals using their platform for good. We have skills, equipment, relationships, and expertise that can drive charitable impact. When we bring our A-game to charitable work, everyone benefits.
Hamilton's entertainment scene achieving recognition. CP24 coverage put Hamilton on the map as a city capable of producing professional-grade events worthy of media attention.
Proof that quality matters. Audiences, sponsors, media partners, and charitable organizations all responded positively because we refused to treat this as anything less than a premium production.
Relationships that continue to pay dividends. The connections made during this eventâwith performers, media partners, charitable organizations, sponsorsâhave led to countless opportunities since.
Michelle Bookal's performance of "How Did We Get Here" still gets shares on social media. The CP24 broadcast clips still serve as portfolio pieces. People who attended still talk about "that incredible show at the convention center."
That's the power of doing charitable work with the same professionalism you bring to paid work.
If you're a charitable organization planning an event and wondering how to approach entertainment, here's what we've learned:
Entertainment isn't decorationâit's the reason people attend, the catalyst for sponsor engagement, and the hook for media coverage. Budget for professional entertainment, not as an afterthought.
Entertainment professionals want to support worthy causes. When you clearly articulate your mission (like SickKids Hospital's pediatric care focus), you make it easy for professionals to see how their work amplifies something meaningful.
Some entertainment providers can offer reduced rates for charitable work. But "in-kind" doesn't mean free or low-effortâit means we're donating the difference between our cost and what you pay, while still delivering full professional service.
Premium talent books early. Media partnerships require lead time. Production logistics need months, not weeks. Start planning 6-12 months before your event.
When entertainment professionals recommend specific talent, production elements, or approaches, there's usually good reason. We know what works, what attracts media, what engages audiences.
The DNA Project has produced hundreds of events over the yearsâweddings, corporate celebrations, private parties, festivals, concerts.
But the events we're most proud of? The ones like this Hamilton Convention Center show, where entertainment served a mission bigger than just "having a good time."
Don't get us wrongâhaving a good time matters. Creating joy, celebration, and memorable experiences is valuable work.
But when that work also raises funds for SickKids Hospital? When it supports Dream Maker's mission? When it elevates local performers and showcases Hamilton's capabilities to GTA audiences via CP24? When it proves that professional entertainment can drive charitable impact?
That's when this work becomes truly meaningful.
Michelle Bookal singing Deborah Cox wasn't just entertainmentâit was using talent to amplify a cause. Jeana Wilson's performance wasn't just impressiveâit was contributing to something larger. Kim Davis headlining wasn't just star powerâit was lending credibility to a charitable mission.
This is what happens when entertainment professionals stop treating charitable work as "lesser" and instead bring everything we have to support causes that matter.
That's The DNA Project's approach. That's what this event represented. And that's the standard we've maintained in every charitable event since.
This is the March 2026 installment of our monthly "Real Weddings & Events" series, published the last Friday of every month. Each post takes you behind the scenes of actual events we've producedâshowing you what works, what we learned, and how great entertainment creates experiences people remember forever.
Previous months:
Next month: April 2026 - A corporate event production (venue TBD). Stay tuned!
From intimate gatherings to show-stopping celebrations, we design and curate the perfect entertainment experience tailored to YOUR unique vision.
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