Music Festival Recommendations: The Edmonton Folk Music Festival
By Nick Petlock on March 15, 2021
With the rollout of vaccines slowly coming to Canada, comes the end of life in a pandemic. Which means you need to be prepared for what comes after. I am talking about the overflow of music festivals that will soon be returning. That is why I am here to recommend some absolutely amazing, breathtaking, neck-breaking music festivals. This time I will be recommending a festival in our own great city. I am talking about The Edmonton Folk Fest! After this blog, if you aren’t already looking for when it will be returning, or if there is a potential lineup release, that means I have failed you on selling it. So without further ado, let’s get right into why you should attend The Edmonton Folk Music Festival.
What Is The Edmonton Folk Music Festival?
The Edmonton Folk Fest itself is a charitable not-for-profit society that is dedicated to bringing in the best of folk music from Edmonton, Canada, and around the world. Located in Edmonton, in beautiful downtown Gallagher Park and lasts for three days. The festival comes packed with multiple stages, featuring some local artists on smaller stagers, and moving to the bigger stages for larger names. They feature some artists like Tash Sultana. When I went in 2018, even though she wasn’t on the main stage, she was still one of the main attractions and blew me away. This festival isn’t really a “break your neck” sort of festival, nor is packed with “Chad’s” and “Stacy’s.” It is more of a “lay down a blanket on a hill, sip a cold pint produced by a local brewery, and enjoy some fantastic music by folk artists,” kind of a festival.
Attractions.
Obviously, the main attractions are the artists and the music, but there is so much more to the fest. This fest comes packed with amazing food and drink vendors, such as Poutine World, Perogy Palace, Fat Franks, and so much more. After you are done eating, go do a little shopping at some of the many artisan markets you can find on the grounds. I recommend Old Hat, Earth To Body, and Tree Picks. I would recommend more because there are so many more markets, but I spent so much time in the stores I named, I was gonna miss the artists playing.
Who Is Going To This Festival?
Like mentioned before, the “Chad’s” shotgunning 6 packs of Coors Lite, and “basic Stacy’s,” are not likely to be at this festival, so that is a win. The Edmonton Folk Fest is for all ages. Even then, kids under 11 get in for free, and seniors over 80 are free as well. This festival is for people who like to sit, relax, and drink beer that doesn’t taste like it is pulled straight from the North Saskatchewan River. Everybody there is there to be peaceful and enjoy some light dancing. Though odds are you will probably encounter a few obnoxiously drunk people screaming and the fighters are usually removed almost immediately.
Just Go.
Like said in almost all my blogs, just go. What do you have to lose? Edmonton is chock-full of clubs, pubs, and bars you have probably been to a million times. Though this festival only happens once a year and always brings in some amazing attractions and fantastic artists. Plus the tickets are usually, fairly priced. Who knows when the actual festival will return because of this dang COVID, but at least you are now ready to buy tickets when they do decide to return to the hill.