Roaring Success

The 34th edition of the Winnipeg Folk Festival, July 5-8, wrapped up last night with a Sunday night concert featuring legendary satirist Randy Newman, world music icon Toumani Diabate, the kings of Tex-Mex rock, Los Lobos, perfect weather, near-record weekend attendance, and a very happy bunch of festival organizers.

Total paid attendance numbers near the beginning of the Sunday Main Stage concert reached 44,791, only 414 short of the all-time record in 2006. Add to that the volunteers, vendors, media, performers and guests, and the total attendance over the weekend was an estimated 62,718.

Camping at the festival saw an all-time record this year with a total of 6631 people camping in the festival�s two campgrounds. The Festival Camground was a sell-out at the 5700 camper cap, with the remainder of campers in the lower-key Quiet Campground.
The overall festival camping experience was better than ever. The festival has been adding more programming to the campground each year, and the 2007 campground featured several major art installations, fire-spinning performances, and concerts by That 1 Guy and The Hummers on Saturday night after the Main Stage show.

�This year�s festival exceeded our expectations in every way,� says Executive Director Trudy Schroeder. �The weather was perfect; the artistic component of the festival wonderful and diverse; the volunteers performed their tasks with enthusiasm and excellence; and the Young Performers, Folk Retreat, Folk School, and Young Artists Programs produced wonderful art and inspiring youthful energy. I was particularly pleased to see so many young children and babies at the festival this year; it bodes well for the future health of the Winnipeg Folk Festival.�

Regarding the campground, she continues: �The mood in our sold out Festival Campground was peaceful and happily eccentric.�
Festival organizers sent out huge thanks to the volunteers, performers, technical and site crews, sponsors, donors, funders, community partners, vendors, and, of course, its tremendous and appreciative audience. The festival could not be made without the support from all these people and organizations.

The next few weeks are spent tearing down and cleaning up the festival site, but planning for the 2008 festival will start almost immediately. Next year�s event takes place July 10-13. It will be the 35th anniversary festival, so audiences can expect something even more special next year.

Besides planning for the 2008 main event, the festival is already working hard at programming its fall concert series, events and workshops in its small Folk Exchange venue in the Exchange District, and its Winter Wassail gala, among other events. Free concerts in Old Market Square continue all summer and through September, Thursdays at noon.

For more information, check winnipegfolkfestival.ca.