The Calgary Folk Music Festival began in 1980 as a modest two-day affair on three stages has grown into the Calgary Folk Music Festival’s current incarnation — a four-day extravaganza that highlights brilliant upstart and iconic artists from around the corner and the globe in concerts and a unique collaborative session on eight stages, plus Block Heater and other year-round programming.
Day 1 was buzzing with anticipation for this year’s Festival. Festival goers were flooding to Prince’s Island Park as I arrived at 5pm. Walking towards the festival from downtown I could hear the buzz, the sound of music, laughter and applause resonating across the river.
I walked the grounds of the festival to get the lay of the land and the festival has a little bit of something for everyone. There are food vendors, an artisan market and multiple stages that will be buzzing with music fans and artists from across the globe.
Day one I caught the first mainstage act Toronto based singer/songwriter Luna Li. Li’s quartet got the audience moving and was a great act to set the tone for the weekend. After only one song, the audience was enamored with Li’s sonic sounds, and you could tell the crowd was ready for an incredible weekend of world class music.
A number of Indigenous artists are included in the lineup and festival goers will definitely hear from some standout Indigenous voices this year.
Edmonton’s Celeigh Cardinal, Manitoba’s Leonard Sumner, B.C.’s Garret T. Willie, Nêhiyaw singer songwriter Wyatt C. Louis, francophone Indigenous singer-songwriter SHAUIT, and Mayan artist Sara Curruchich will all play multiple stages over the next three days.
For more information and full line up details visit https://calgaryfolkfest.com/
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