Volunteer applications are now open!

These links will take you to MyVolunteerPage.com where you can create a volunteer profile and fill out an application. We suggest keeping the crew descriptions page open while you fill out your application.

The more detail you provide in your application, the more likely we will be able to place you on a volunteer crew!

Adult Volunteer Application [applies to anyone 18 or older]

Youth Volunteer Applications [applies to young people from 12-17. Youth volunteers must have an adult ‘sponsor’ who is a current volunteer]

Spirit of the Festival - Our volunteers are our ambassadors and hosts, and we expect them to make the patron, volunteer, and performer experience the best it can be. Volunteers also exemplify and promote an atmosphere of respect and kindness. Please read our Volunteer Standards & Policies for more information.

Time commitment:

• Festival Crews - minimum 20 hours throughout the four days
• Pre-Festival and Post-Festival Crews: Minimum 48 hours split before and after the festival.
• Teardown: All first-time volunteers contribute an additional 3-4 hours helping take the festival down and clean the park. We ask returning volunteers to pitch in and pick up a shift every two years.

New volunteers are required to complete online New Volunteer Orientation training (details will be sent after you are confirmed as a volunteer), are encouraged to attend in an person New Volunteer Orientation tour (the week leading up to the festival), and your crew meeting (organized by crew coordinators). Attendance at the crew meeting is important.

With over 70 different volunteer crews, there is a wide variety of volunteer roles. New volunteers are placed on a first come first serve basis considering preferences as well as skills, interest and qualifications for individual crews.

For information about which crews do what jobs, see our Volunteer Crew Descriptions.

We ask that all youth volunteers (12-17 years of age) apply with a ‘sponsor’ - an active volunteer who is at least 25 years of age. It's preferred if this is the youth's parent or guardian, but exceptions may be made for close friends. Please reach out to the Volunteer Office for more information.

This Youth Sponsor is the go-to for the youth volunteer at the Festival and is responsible for the overall well-being of the youth throughout the Festival. They are responsible for transportation to and from their shifts (escorting them to the volunteer shuttle, for instance), accompany them to volunteer parties, or meet for meals in the Festival Kitchen. They are also the first contact for our office in the case of an emergency.

All sponsors are subject to approval by the Volunteer Office.

We have the utmost respect for the skills, time and passion volunteers bring to the festival. All festival volunteers receive the following:

• The opportunity to belong to an amazing, once-a-year community and the chance to make new, lifelong friends.
• Work experience – you can pick up all kinds of skills and even certifications as a festival volunteer, many of which can transfer into a job setting
• Access to all 4 days of the festival with your volunteer badge
• Meals from the festival kitchen (Dinner Thursday & Friday, Lunch and Dinner Saturday & Sunday)
• Access to volunteer after parties (Friday - Sunday)
• A volunteer t-shirt for the current year
• A program book for the current year
• A volunteer handbook (digital, with limited print copies available)
• City-wide access to buses and LRTs with the Edmonton Transit System for all four days of the festival, plus the day before and after
• Your Name in the Program Book and on the Wall of Fame with your crew (as long as placement occurs prior to printing)

Other Benefits:

Are you a student? EFMF volunteers have the opportunity to apply for the ‘Go Wildly Forward – Don Snider Scholarship! Further details here (scroll down to find the scholarship tab).

The Volunteer Office will contact you to confirm your crew assignment. This is when you choose to accept or not accept your volunteer assignment. 

The Volunteer Office receives a high volume of applications in the months leading up to the Festival, often over 800! We aim to reach out to all applicants between mid-May and early June to confirm your crew. All new volunteers are placed on a first-come, first-served basis, taking requested crews and skills needed for the role into account. It takes time to review, process and place over 800 new volunteers, and we appreciate your patience along the way!

When you submit your volunteer application, you should receive an automated email message within a few minutes with more information. If you don't get a confirmation email that we've received your application, feel free to send us an email to check in.

After you accept your volunteer assignment, you will be contacted by your crew coordinator within a few weeks to discuss specific tasks, determine your schedule and share training and crew meeting information.

2026 Volunteer Handbook and Festival Map coming in July!

Please note that we have plenty of volunteer positions, but we may not have exactly what you're after the first year you apply to volunteer. We ask that you be available all 4 days of the festival. We strive to place new volunteers by June. If you have not heard from us by then, please contact us.

Contact Dana in the Volunteer Office at 780-466-3669 or via email (volunteers@edmontonfolkfest.org).

All new volunteers, as well as 50% of returning volunteers, complete at least one 3-4 hour teardown shift within 15 days of the festival ending. Taking down the festival is an immense task, and many hands make light work. Shifts are available from 9 am to 9 pm, 7 days a week, so there is plenty of flexibility to accommodate your schedule.  No special skills are needed as you will be working in a team, and we have tasks to suit every ability. Teardown is a great opportunity to meet volunteers from other crews and carry the festival vibe a little further into the summer!

Teardown sign-up opens July 1st each year and is available via MyVolunteerPage.com. We provide a meal every shift, so it's important to pre-register to ensure we have enough for everyone!

If you have any questions or require any modified duties, please reach out to Carol, our Teardown Liaison, by emailing teardown@edmontonfolkfest.org

Take Over the Park Day is the day the festival takes over Gallagher Park. We will be installing fence around the perimeter of the site but in addition, the site crew would love help with other tasks including setting up tents, installing the Wall of Fame, etc. 

It occurs the third or fourth weekend of July, depending on Festival dates. This is an optional day, and does not replace your teardown requirement. Click here to read more (sign up available July 1st each year on MyVolunteerPage.com).

 We understand that sometimes, things occur that may impact your ability to volunteer. Because we rely on our volunteers, you must contact your crew coordinator and the Volunteer Office immediately via phone AND email. Please let us know well in advance of the Festival if your plans change, so we can find someone to fill your position.