The Edmonton Folk Music Festival Will Be the Highlight of Your Summer

The crown jewel of ‘Festival City'

Edmonton's reputation as Canada's Festival City is well known across the country and beyond. Now, one of the city's crown jewels – and one of the best festivals of its kind in the world, period – is returning to picturesque Gallagher Hill this August.

The Edmonton Folk Music Festival, now entering its 44th year of operation, runs from August 10-13, 2023.

Among locals, Folk Fest occupies a special place in their hearts. It's always a highlight of the summer, bringing thousands of music lovers out into the gorgeous Alberta sunshine to experience dozens of live acts, spread across four days and a half-dozen stages.

World-class talent on big and small stages

The music is expansive and eclectic, with genres ranging from classic folk to funk to Indigenous tunes. Past mainstage performers have included Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, Neko Case, Steve Earle, and David Byrne. Countless other bands, meanwhile, have built their careers off unforgettable word-of-mouth performances on smaller stages. The festival's full line up is announced each May.

"The quality of the music comes above everything else," says festival director Terry Wickham. "We're top class on that. John Prine called it his favourite festival, and Brandi Carlile told me the same thing. The atmosphere here is special. And we've been doing it a long time."

Something for everyone, from food to crafts

Despite that abundance of top-notch talent, Edmonton's Folk Fest continues to put a premium on affordability. Tickets to any one day of the festival are cheaper than your typical big-name arena show, and many attendees opt for a full four-day pass at an even better rate. Kids under the age of 12 also get in for free, making it the perfect summer excursion for families.

With a mixture of live performances and audience-involved workshops, as well as a crafts tent, beer garden, and dozens of food vendors, there is truly something for everyone to enjoy.

Impromptu jams at a unique outdoor concert hall

Wickham is particularly proud of what the festival calls "sessions." These improvised performances – which used to be commonplace at festivals across North America – bring several different artists on one stage to make music together, and the result is a unique collaboration that audiences will never forget.

"It’s a one-off thing that’ll never happen again," Wickham says. "Whereas the shows are very well rehearsed, these lead to impromptu moments that are really special."

Unique scenery, with picturesque sightlines

Folk Fest's location, too, is quite possibly the best view of the city you'll find anywhere. Perched on Gallagher Hill, festivalgoers enjoy a backdrop of not just the majestic North Saskatchewan River, but also the skyline of downtown Edmonton. When the sun finally sets each evening – around 9 p.m. at this time of year in northern Alberta – a romantic twilight descends, bringing a perfect evening to a perfect close.

Wickham compares the naturally slanted terrain to that of a high-end concert hall. Instead of standing around all day like at most festivals, at Edmonton's "you can sit down, relax on a tarp, and still have a great view of the music."

Northern hospitality

Locals may have made the festival the centrepiece of their summers for decades, but there's nothing like experiencing Edmonton's Folk Fest for the first time. Odds are you'll come away with not just a new favourite band or two, but also a lasting smile on your face from the camaraderie and northern hospitality that Edmontonians are known for.

After all, there's always room for one more on the hill.

"The festival is almost like a barn-raising," says Wickham. "It's the community coming together, with a lot of volunteers, and making something bigger than themselves. Everyone makes friends and has a good time."

"If you come once," he adds, "you'll be asking yourself why you never came before."