Hot Blizzard Announces 2017 Lineup

Manitoba's winter folk festival will be celebrating its fifth anniversary on Saturday, February 4th. Hot Blizzard Folk Festival, which has planned its biggest program to date, takes place in a large historic church in downtown Portage la Prairie, just 45 minutes west of Winnipeg.

The event runs for an entire afternoon and evening, featuring more than six hours of live music. Festival co-organizer Linda Omichinski invites festival goers to melt the winter blues through a mid-winter retreat of music that will warm the soul.

The 2017 lineup of performers features renowned Winnipeg blues rock band The Perpetrators, Juno award-winning duo Keri & Devin Latimer of Leaf Rapids, Montreal folk duo Astheur, and multi-award-winning blues artist Tracy K from Beausejour. The bill also includes Long Plain First Nation Chief Dennis Meeches (Yoza), Portage la Prairie accordion virtuoso Chris Messytone, and Winnipeg singer-songwriter Beth Martens.

The festival's signature musician workshop called High Gravity Stew Brew will feature the one-time collaboration of The Perpetrators, Leaf Rapids, and Chris Messytone. The main stage program concludes with the Open Circle Fun Jam, a public jam session hosted by the up-and-coming folk rock band "The Project."

Co-organizer Josh Wright says "the folk festival has something to offer everyone, whether it's seizing the opportunity to enjoy eclectic talent, dancing freely to great music, or lifting one's spirits by living in the moment for a whole day. Hot Blizzard brings out the fun in people of all ages and walks of life."

Advance ticket sales to the Hot Blizzard Folk Festival also begin on December 1st. Tickets can be ordered online at www.portagefolk.com. Additional Folk Fest information, including the details of the performer lineup, can also be found on the festival website.