About Us

The Edmonton Folk Music Festival promotes live folk music at its annual festival with the purpose of celebrating diverse, affordable folk music, sharing meaningful, inclusive experiences, and building community for its volunteers, artists, vendors, patrons, and the people of Edmonton, Alberta.

Our Story

Beginning in 1980 with one staff and 300 volunteers, the Edmonton Folk Music Festival has grown and matured to become one of the leading folk festivals in the world. Now boasting a volunteer force of over 2500, the festival is a charitable not-for-profit society dedicated to bringing in the best of folk music from Edmonton, Canada, and around the world.

It's About the Music

The quality of the music and the depth of the performer lineup is the single greatest ingredient in our success. Terry Wickham, producer, selects artists within a broad musical mandate. Our vision is to continue to improve as a world-class folk music festival. At the same time, we work very hard to raise money through fund raising activities and through soliciting corporate sponsorships to keep ticket prices accessible for families.

The Edmonton Folk Music Festival respectfully acknowledges that the land on which we gather is situated on Treaty Six Territory. For thousands of years, the Edmonton river valley has been a Pehonan, a traditional meeting and gathering place for Indigenous Peoples. We honour and respect the history, languages, ceremonies and culture of the First Nations, Métis, Inuit and Non-Status Aboriginal Peoples whose presence and culture enrich our vibrant community. We are all beneficiaries of this longtime Indigenous philosophy of peaceful cohabitation, between the earth, the animals, and all humans. We all have a responsibility to one another and this land.

SAFER SPACES POLICY

Everyone is welcomed and valued. The Edmonton Folk Music Festival Society is committed to providing a safe space for all, including marginalized and vulnerable segments of our population. It aspires to put on a leading folk music festival while embracing a vision of inclusivity. The EFMFS will nurture safer spaces where all people regardless of age, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, ability, socioeconomic status, religion, or other personal characteristics should feel safe, welcome, and valued. Activities (verbal and/or physical) causing harm to another person will not be tolerated.

2023 Festival Staff

 

 

 

BACK ROW From left to right: Giancarlo Zenari, Dana Fontaine, Friday Smith, MJ Belcourt, Terry Wickham, Riley Connell, Gilbert da Silva, Carla Lenfesty, Richard Stuart, Stephane Levesque, Muffy McKay

FRONT ROW From left to right: Dennis Franz, Jaime Pruden, Lorie Miseck, Maddy Whitlow, Helen Stuart, Shauna Stewart, Glenda Dennis, Carol Jones, Morris Bujarski, Shawna Cooper, Kathy Morin, Connie McCall

DOWN IN FRONT From left to right: Kaida Kobylka, McKinna Elliot

MISSING: Margaret Crowe

photo by Eric Kozakiewicz

 

2023 EFMF Board

 

 

TOP ROW from left to rightMarilyn MacGillivray, Cam McCormick, Jill Day, Mike Hughes, Shamair Turner

BOTTOM ROW from left to right: Meredith Shewchuk, Drew Walker, Bridget Stirling

MISSING: Gordon Holt

For contact info, please visit our contact page.

For more information about the EFMFS please visit our EFMF Society page.