Canmore Folk Festival to celebrate 27 years of magic in the mountains
by Shari Bishop Bowes
Folk music has changed over the years, taking on a broader definition that embraces the influences of world, country, bluegrass, and gospel, alongside an even longer list of indefinable styles.
“It’s an eclectic mix of things these days,” says Ken Rooks, who has been the dynamic and highly devoted artistic director behind the Canmore Folk Music Festival for the past 14 of its 27-year run in the mountain community.
The festival got its start when some local music lovers formed the Canmore Folk & Blues Club, which predates the long-running, much-loved summer event, Rooks says. After staging some fall and winter concerts in the community, it was decided that the time had come to celebrate Heritage Day on the August long weekend with a new folk festival. The first Canmore Folk Festival attracted a healthy-sized crowd for a town of less than 3,000 people, and was held for a single day on the edge of town near what was known at the time as the Red Barn. It’s unlikely that anyone kept a head count, but it’s a safe bet that 90 per cent of attendees knew each other on a first-name basis.
These days, Canmore’s Folk Festival attracts more than 13,000 over the expanded three-day event.
The 27th annual festival, set to flood the town with folkies and the joyous celebration of good music from all over the world, is scheduled for July 31 to August 2 at Centennial Park and its rustic Stan Rogers Stage. Offering a family-oriented weekend of music and fun in the mountains, the event kicks off Saturday with a free children’s concert, and continues rain or shine over the Sunday and holiday Monday of the long weekend with daytime workshop stages, where performers — many of whom have just met — join together in jam sessions; an impressive and eclectic 50-booth craft fair; a food fair offering some mouth-watering local offerings; a petting zoo, craft area and climbing wall to entertain the kids; roving children’s entertainers, and much more.
While there is much to keep a folkie entertained throughout the day, the highlight of the weekend has to be the three evening main stage concerts, which feature an impressive line-up of 18 different folk groups and solo acts that play from sundown to often close to midnight.
Rooks is particularly keen to welcome Texas polka band Brave Combo to Canmore — and to their first Canadian performance. The Grammy Award winners are hard to place in any one music category, he says, but do promise a very lively show on the Saturday evening of Folk Fest. “It’s going to be fun, it’s going to be off the wall and it’ll be dance time.”
Amos Garrett returns for this year’s Folk Fest with his blues interpretations, as does last year’s smash hit Ruthie Foster with Cyd Cassone. The exceptional UK guitarist Martin Simpson, and the raging Celtic music of Juno Award-winning The Paperboys are two more reasons to take in Canmore’s largest festival.
The Canmore Folk Music Festival is Western Canada’s longest-running festival, and has remained close to its roots as a true community event.
Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and Winnipeg are a few of the larger Canadian cities that have popular summer folk festivals, but Canmore’s folk fest provides a more intimate setting where attendees are likely to find themselves chatting with musicians as they mingle with the crowd between sets.
“It’s a very social weekend for people,” Rooks says. “A lot of people come back to town and meet up with people they haven’t seen since last year’s folk festival.”
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Leon Bibb was a huge hit at last year's Canmore Folk Festival.
Click here for the complete line-up for the 2004 Canmore Folk Music Festival
If You Go
Must-haves for comfortable Folk Fest enjoyment:
- Low-back lawn chairs, a blanket or two, and a small pillow to make a long day of sitting more comfortable
- Layers of clothing that span a hot sunny day and a very cool evening— Rain gear, as the festival goes rain or shine
- A small insulated cooler for water and drinks (no alcohol allowed on site)
- Hats, sunglasses, sunscreen and bug spray for the rare music-loving mosquito
- A cell phone with the ringer turned OFF!
- Cash for the great food offerings on site, and for shopping craft booths
- Books, snacks, small puzzles and other packable entertainments for children who may get bored
- An official Canmore Folk Festival program, available in the Canmore Leader local newspaper, or for purchase on site
- Comfortable shoes that allow you to get up and dance!
Advance Tickets:
The evening main stage performances at Folk Festival have been known to sell out, so it’s a wise bet to get your tickets early.
Advance tickets are now available at all TicketMaster outlets, on-line at www.ticketmaster.ca, or in Canmore at the Tin Box, at 837 Main St., or The Phone Store at #5, 1000 7th Ave. in Canmore or #111, 220 Bear St. in Banff. Advance ticket prices: Adults $18 for Saturday, $20 for a 1-day pass for Sunday or Monday, or $53 for a 3-day pass. Children (6-15) and seniors’ (65+) admissions are $3 per day, while kids 5 and under are admitted free. Gate prices: Adult 3-day pass is $65, adult Sunday or Monday pass is $25, Saturday only is $20. Kids (6-15) are seniors (65+) are $3 per day. Kids under 6 are admitted free.
Shari Bishop Bowes is not only the dedicated editor of SolaraLife.com, but also a fun-loving Canmore resident who has been spotted dancing her heart out at more than one local event. (We expect this year’s Folk Festival not to be any different.)
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