It’s here — the 36th annual Summerfolk Music and Crafts Festival begins tonight at Kelso Beach Park in Owen Sound.
About 15 thousand people are expected to attend the three day festival.
Artistic Director Richard Knechtel tells Bayshore Broadcasting News they have 55 performers ready to entertain this weekend.
Knechtel notes they have performers from across Canada, the United States, Australia and Chad coming to Owen Sound this weekend.
The list includes fan favourites the Arrogant Worms, the 24th Street Wailers, the Little Stevies, Lorne Elliot and Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams.
Knechtel admits it’s tough to secure a lineup because everyone wants to play at Summerfolk.
As Artistic Director, Knechtel receives up to 25 hundred applications from performers who want to play at Summerfolk.
Knechtel says people want to play Summerfolk because of its intimate atmosphere.
Knechtel points out he is not the only one with the big job — there are over 650 volunteers who will work this weekend.
This will be the first Summerfolk for Ruth Parsons as President of the Georgian Bay Folk Society.
She has been attending the festival for 25 years — but Parsons says as President, you see how much work goes into the event.
Summerfolk has turned into one of Ontario’s premier summer music events.
With a budget of over half a million dollars — it was named one of Ontario’s Top 100 Festivals.
There are also over 40 craft vendors and artisans and almost 20 food vendors.
Both Parsons and Knechtel point out Summerfolk also generates hundreds of thousands of dollars for the Owen Sound economy.
Parsons is hoping for bigger crowds this weekend — she notes they have doubled early bird ticket sales and online tickets sales are up.
Summerfolk begins at 5 PM tonight with a Cafe Concert series — and the Amphitheatre stage opens at 6 PM tonight and every night this weekend.
The Down By the Bay stage opens at 7 PM.
The weekend schedule also features eight different stages of music, jam sessions, workshops and dances.
A weekend pass to Summerfolk costs 83 dollars.
Knechtel adds Summerfolk and Owen Sound are now synonymous in music circles.
For more information on the weekend schedule, performers and tickets — you can go online to www.summerfolk.org
