The Winnipeg Folk Festival is a year-round arts organization that presents one of North America’s premier outdoor music festivals each July.
The inaugural Winnipeg Folk Festival was held in 1974 as a one-time celebration to mark Winnipeg’s 100th anniversary. The festival was free and attracted an estimated audience of 22,000 over the three-day weekend. While the festival has grown considerably since then, the gathering in 1974 laid down important roots in Birds Hill Provincial Park and with the community that remain strong today.
The festival’s cumulative attendance now exceeds 70,000 and includes thousands of visitors from outside of Manitoba and performers from across North America, and the world. The organization has more than 2,600 dedicated volunteers who contribute well over 55,000 hours of labour each year to create the magic that is the Winnipeg Folk Festival.
The Winnipeg Folk Festival generates $25 million in economic activity and creates 244 jobs for the province of Manitoba. The impact on Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Manitoba is estimated at $14.1 million. The GDP represents the estimated net economic activity generated from this signature Manitoba event.*
Over the years, the Winnipeg Folk Festival has evolved from a one-weekend event to a year-round arts organization and community asset with folk music at its heart. Today, the festival presents concerts and events throughout the year, supports the community with education and outreach programs, and operates a folk music store and performance space in Winnipeg’s historic Exchange District. The Winnipeg Folk Festival is a not-for-profit charitable organization.
http://www.winnipegfolkfestival.ca/
Winnipeg Folk Festival 2012 Bird Design
Winnipeg Folk Fest 2012 website with all the artists
Standing in line for really good food
The new (2011) La Cuisine building backstage at the Winnipeg Folk Fest is made from recovered and reused materials
The new (2011) La Cuisine building backstage at the Winnipeg Folk Fest is made from recovered and reused materials
careful with that sunburn!
Breakfast starts at 9am
Backstage at the Winnipeg Folk Fest 2012, Greg and a nice girl give out Free Hugs
FREE HUGS
Winnipeg Folk Fest 2012 Free Hug Girl
The “Kool-Aid” drinky tent; Winnipeg Folk Fest 2012, featuring such flavours as Peach, and Mystery!
The amazing and energetic Greg Rekus
The new (2011) La Cuisine building backstage at the Winnipeg Folk Fest is made from recovered and reused materials
These squares are meant to look like the tarp field as seen from above.
Backstage at the Winnipeg Folk Fest 2012
La Cuisine
Amy Groening and a fellow bean chopping volunteer backstage at the Folk Fest
More bike parking is needed I guess
Backstage at the Winnipeg Folk Fest
Ka-Zeus, the guy with all the kazoos on his hat.
Abstract Beer Tent
Backstage at the Winnipeg Folk Fest 2012
Doug Darling poses for the camera
Winnipeg Folk Fest Food tent
Mom hauls the kids around on a wagon
Some people dress rather oddly at the Winnipeg Folk Fest
Enjoying some alone time, by herself
Huge crowds at the Winnipeg Folk Festival
Winnipeg Folk Festival 2012
The drainage ravine is where kids love to play, for some reason; Winnipeg Folk Festival. Are they building a cairn?
A superhero shows up to assist with the rock piling
Gina and Heather. Gina helped build my bike from Natural Cycle!
Toddler looks back
Jaxon Haldane and a small concerned looking child
Winnipeg Folk Festival 2012
Huge crowds at Winnipeg Folk Festival
taking a nap in the trees
The old and new generations
The dogs need some water
…and here is a picture of some trees. Yes, I still like photos like this.
Stripes on pants, stripes on tents
Roving musicians backstage at the Winnipeg Folk Festival 2012
The message board has a few messages
Note stuck up with flame tape
that’s some good tent knot rope tying
Pink wig girl!
Chantel Marostica, funny stand up comedy person, and Kevin Lee Burton, filmmaker art dude
Winnipeg Folk Fest at Birds Hill Park
Trudging towards the sunset. Wouldn’t this make for a good record cover or something? Just saying…
The porta potties in the middle are pink.
some excellent head dress, horn cup fashions at the Winnipeg Folk Fest
Bubbles!
I heart Haiti
Huge crowds at the Winnipeg Folk Fest
Hula Hoop dancing girl at the Winnipeg Folk Fest
Winnipeg Folk Fest 2012
Take a break, in a hammock
Mitch Podolak smiles as Billy Bragg plays “There is Power in a Union”
Billy Bragg at the Winnipeg Folk Fest 2012
Having a great time at the Winnipeg Folk Fest
sleeping in the middle of the crowd
More excellent fashions at the Winnipeg Folk Fest
Winnipeg Folk Fest
La Cuisine up late preparing for tomorrows hungry tummies