Edmonton Folk Music Festival

The jam-packed four days of folk music, great food and a stellar setting during the Edmonton Folk Music Festival has become a summer institution in the city.

Slip into a low lawn chair and take in the backdrop of the city skyline and the grassy slope down Gallagher Hill towards the main stage nestled in a natural amphitheatre, the epicenter of a much-anticipated annual August homage to all things musical. An eclectic line-up of bands from around the globe will have you toe-tapping in time. The event’s vibe is unique with jam sessions and lesser-known acts occupying several smaller stages, and rumours drifting of big-time bands joining up for epic surprise musical unions.

The festival is kid-friendly – eleven and under get in free – and it’s also a community event with over 2,500 volunteers hell-bent on bringing the world’s best folk music to Northern Alberta with a good dose of fun. An army of food vendors cooks up a vast array of international delicacies, and there’s a lively beer garden as well with a selection of brews to quench your thirst and soothe your throat after all that spirited singing along.