Edmonton Folk Music Festival

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

The Edmonton Folk Music Festival has grown to become one of the leading folk festivals in the world. It is an annual, four-day outdoor music event held the second weekend of August in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It started in 1980 with one staff and 300 volunteers.

Many people from around the world attend this Festival as both spectators and performers. The festival showcases performers in many genres. Most years, folk, celtic, bluegrass, blues, gospel, roots, and worldbeat acts perform. In addition to mainstage and sidestage concerts by individual artists, the festival has artists collaborate on shared stages.

During the daytime hours of the festival, there are six active stages hosting workshops and concerts. One stage is devoted to children's entertainment.

The Edmonton Folk Music Festival is held at Gallagher Park, on the banks of the North Saskatchewan river. During the winter the area is a ski club.

There are approximately 2000 people on the volunteer list each year. There is a CD tent where the performers' albums can be purchased. There is also a beer garden, which serves more beer than any other single event in western Canada.