From July 22-25 Prince’s Island Park will be transformed to accommodate the 31st Calgary Folk Festival. Over the four-day event there are 68 artists playing on seven different stages. We have some recommendations of who to check out!
Though the music is the main attraction of the Folk Festival, there is plenty of other things to check out in between your favourite acts. Big Rock will have a beer garden and there will be plenty of food vendors set up - I saw a mini-doughnut truck enter the park, in case you didn’t get your fix at Stampede. If you’re interested on doing a little shopping while at the festival, there is both an area to purchase band merchandise, and a craft market.
If you’re bringing your kids to enjoy the festival, there is a Tim Horton Family area. Make sure to keep an eye on them as there are around 12,000 people on the island daily. Just in case, they have a Lost Kids tent to the right (towards the river) of the main stage.
Tips for Folk Festival
- If you’re bringing a chair, make sure it’s shorter than 8 inches high. Any chair you can roll a basketball underneath will not be allowed in the park.
- Critters are not allowed in the park, so leave your pets at home! Service dogs are, of course, an exception.
- If you are looking for tickets or can’t use ones you’ve already purchased check the Ticket Swap group first; you might be able to find passes at early bird price here. Saturday is sold out, so check there if you want to try and catch the festival!
- Cameras with detachable lenses are prohibited, and some performers do not allow pictures of their performances - security will notify you if this is the case.
- Plan out who you want to see ahead of time if you’re going Saturday or Sunday so you don’t miss any one you really wanted to see. You can make a My Schedule on the Calgary Folk Fest website.
- The weather network is calling for sunshine all weekend, with a chance of thunderstorms on Thursday - so come prepared! Bring sunscreen, hats, and water to protect yourself from the sun. As Calgary is prone to unpredictable weather, make sure to pack extra layers just in case.
- There is a bike on the east side of the park, just north of the Jaipur bridge. The park is about a 15-minute walk from the c-train station, so you can go car-free this weekend. If you do drive, check out where to park in advance to find the best rate.
Even if you’re not attending Folk Festival, there is still a way to take in the music. With two more days of Folk on the C-train to go, you could find yourself riding the train with a live performance.
