Think Big & Have Fun: Winnipeg Welcomes New Indie Music Festival

We did the math: four days, five venues, 25 bands. That’s big. And it’s going to be fun.

Big Fun – which takes its name from the fictional band in the ‘89 cult hit film, Heathers – is gearing up for its inaugural run in art galleries, lofts, and warehouse spaces in the heart of the Exchange District and surrounding areas.

Hoping to create a new event experience, Big Fun’s team of five organizers have taken inspiration by Canadian festivals like North by Northeast in Toronto and Pop Montreal, where one of the organizers had previously volunteered.

Running January 26 to 29, the line-up features a diverse range of local talent including surf noir trio This Hisses, hip hop acts The Lytics , Rebel Yell, and Pip Skid, folk trio Bog River, and indie outfits Ultra Mega and Departures, post-rock band Viridians, and more. Click here to see the full line-up.
 

“Everyone's been so supportive and excited about it,” says co-organizer Lauren Swan of the response to the new fest. “People are looking forward to something that will help break the winter up, and something fresh and new to do.”

“The goal is always to grow in every direction. Next year we definitely want to change up the lineup quite a bit if not entirely, and try out some new venues. If it's possible, we'd also like to see if we can bring some bands in from out of town, while still focusing on local talent.”

Untitled from Aaron Johnston on Vimeo.