N.L.'s Folk Festival drew big crowds, but director says financial state still unclear

With new alcohol rules and a soldout performance, the Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Festival's outgoing executive director, Julie Vogt, says this year was one for the books but it's not clear how much that success boosted the festival's bottom line.

The 48th annual N.L. Folk Festival, held in Bannerman Park, saw performances from artists such as William Prince and the Ennis Sisters from July 12 to 14.

The biggest act of the weekend was a sold-out performance Saturday evening from multiple Grammy-winning musician Emmylou Harris. Vogt says more than 4,000 people attended the show Saturday night, with around 7,000 tickets sold for the three-day festival altogether.

Although tickets to see Harris were $125 per adult, Vogt says it's expensive to bring big-ticket acts tothe festival. She says staff still have to calculate this year's revenueto see if they were able to make up lost funds from previous years.

New alcohol rules

Last year, the festival lost $175,000. The Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Art Society announced earlier this year that it was changing its alcohol consumption rules to help generate more revenue for the festival.

This year, alcoholic drinks were allowed in all areas of the festival, except for one reserved as a "sober area." In previous years, festivalgoers could drink only in a fenced-off beer garden to the side of the stage.

WATCH | Hear why this year's folk festival was one for the history books:

New rules, bigger crowds for 48th annual N.L. Folk Festival

2 months ago

Duration 2:34

With new alcohol rules and a soldout performance, Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Festival executive director Julie Vogt says this year was a big success but, as the CBCs Jessica Singer reports, its not clear yet how much that success boosted the festivals bottom line.

Vogt says the new rules were successful, with the festival making $75,000 in alcohol sales, double what it made last year.

Peg Norman, who has been attending the festival since the 1980s, says she was pleased with the new changes.

It was often difficult to hear and see performances from the beer garden, she said, so being able to walk around freely with a drink was a highlight.

"Kudos to the folk festival crowd and the [Newfoundland and Labrador Liquor Corporation] for finally, you know, loosening their grip," she said.

Norman says she's never seen as many people at the folk festival than during Saturday night's performance from Harris, supported by another major act, Grammy winner country-rock artist Steve Earle.

She says it's important for the festival to support local artistswhile investing in big-ticket acts that bring in big crowds.

"Not only were [people] in front of the mainstage, but they were also right back to the porta-potties at the back of the park, and then they were fanned out on either side," said Norman.

"I've never seen that."

When Harris sang her rendition of Sonny's Dream, by Newfoundland folk singer-songwriter Ron Hynes, the crowd fell silent, said Vogt, typical of the audience's appreciation of folk music and local acts, which she said sets the province apart in Canada.

The festival will "definitely make it to year 50," said Vogt, as long as folk fans continue to show that kind of support.

"Our folk community, they would pull me in and hug me," she said, "just saying 'thank you, thank you for this. It's beautiful. This is the best festival we've ever been to.' That's exactly what we wanted to hear."

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