Back to Birds Hill: Winnipeg Folk Festival set to return after 2-year COVID-19 absence

The Winnipeg Folk Festival is bringing back the music and people after a two-year silence.

The iconic Manitobasummer festival is returning toBirds HillProvincial Park in 2022 with a requirement that everyone befully vaccinated against COVID-19.

"It's been a long time coming," executive director Lynne Skromeda said Thursday.

"We are really hopeful seeing a number of events happening, and sporting events, that we are going to be in good shape for next year."

Skromeda can't say for certain if it will be the same folk festival experience attendees had prior to thepandemic, but said there is optimism next year'sfestival will beas normal as possible.

With that optimism comes the hope that one of the largest festivals of its kind in Canada will have an impact on the local economy.

"We certainly are helping get food vendors back to work and craft vendors back to work, as well as suppliers and other people in the industry," she said.

"It's really an exciting thing to start seeing that kind of stuff come back and to start seeing normal things happen again so that we are really contributing to something that's positive for Manitoba."

The festivalnormally draws thousands of people to the park north of Winnipeg each July. But it wasamong numerous events cancelled in 2020as theCOVID-19 pandemic spread aroundthe globe.

Manitoba brought inpublic health orders that put strict limits on gatherings in order to slow the transmission of the coronavirus.

The folk fest was cancelled once again this past summer, although organizers hadhoped to hold smaller,in-person concerts in August at the festival's main stage. That was kiboshedas the pandemic's third wave washed overthe province.

Next year's event is "absolutely crucial" to her organization, Skromeda said.

"It's been incredibly difficult for us financially. We've just been scraping by, but we've had a lot of luck with the government's subsidies, which have been really helpful to us," she said.

"We thought one year was hard. Two years were even harder. So we really want and need it to happen this year."

Festival fans eager to return

Lloyd Peterson managed the main stage the last time the annual festival, first held at Birds Hill Park in 1974, took place in 2019.

In addition to being to being a festival employee, Peterson, who is a music producer, has also performed andvolunteered at the folk festival. He has attendedin some capacity since his teenage years andis looking forward to sitting by the stage and listening to a full day of music even if it's raining.

"It's great news for the community, the artists, the whole folk festival staff. They work so hard to put it on and to have it unceremoniously impossible to do has been really tough on everybody that enjoys that event," Peterson said.

He says what makes the event special is its history.

"A lot of people know what they are going to be doing that second weekend of July every year without fail. It's the kind of event that people experience in different ways. Some people are diehard music junkies and some people just like the social aspect of it and the camping.

"People can use it however they want. It's got a lot of moving parts and if you don't come back from that event exhausted you're probably doing it wrong."

Folk festival superfan Terry Danyleykohas been making the annual visit since he was 18 years old. Now 62, Danyleykois stoked about reuniting with friends from outside the province he hasn't seen in a few years,including some from Texas.

"There's a community of people that I get to see there, and of course the last couple of years haven't been able to see them. I can't wait to get back there," he said.

For Danyleyko, folk festival weekend is about escapism.

"It's kind of like going home. It's going to a place where you know everybody is going to be and everybody has a good attitude, and it's a throw-your-cellphone-away time."

Tickets will go on sale Dec. 6, with the lineup of on-stage talent set to be announcedin the spring.

All stages will be in operation, including the family area. Both campgrounds will be up and running along with all services, includingfood vendorsand the music store.

Skromedasays folk festival staff will be "working very closely with public health to make sure that all the requirements are in place" for the festival's safe return in 2022.

As such, government-issued proof of full vaccination will be required for allin-person shows.

Winnipeg Folk Festival is back

3 years ago

Duration 1:48

The Winnipeg Folk Festival is bringing back the music and people after a two-year silence. The iconic Manitoba summer festival is returning to Birds Hill Provincial Park in 2022 with a requirement that everyone be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.