Winnipeg Folk Festival Unveils 2015 Line-Up

Whenever the Winnipeg Folk Festival announces its lineup, the weather always seems to get a little nicer. So big thanks to the venerable organization for bringing some much-needed warmth and laying out the first blueprint of summer.

The 42nd annual festival, which will take over Birds Hill Park July 9-12, will offer audiences four nights and three days of musical discovery, including a stellar line-up of celebrated Manitoba talent.

The list of homegrown music acts hitting festival stages features JUNO-nominated genre-bending outfit Royal Canoe, Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Award-winning singer/songwriter and emcee Leonard Sumner, the rock-laced traditional Mexican spectacle of The Mariachi Ghost, country/blues one-man-band The Reverend Rambler, acclaimed singer/songwriter Slow Leaves, Western Canadian Music Award-nominated children’s act Seanster and the Monsters, and the Summer Bear Dance Troupe. Folk Fest will also welcome Nashville-based expat Brandy Zdan (formerly of Twilight Hotel).

Touring acts heading to this year's festival include marquee names like Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Wilco, Arlo Gurthrie, Jenny Lewis, José González, Bahamas, Dan Mangan (who stood on a table and sang at the line-up announcement) + Blacksmith, Steeleye Span, Jason Isbell, Shakey Graves, Kurt Vile, and many more. Click to see the full lineup

“With this lineup, we are honouring folk music by embracing the evolution of folk while staying true to the traditions of Folk Fest,” said the Winnipeg Folk Festival's artistic director Chris Frayer in a release. “Modern folk artists are playing with the genre and pushing it in new directions and this lineup will be an exciting representation of that.”

You'll have to wait for the full schedule to be released before you can plan out what you're going to see, but there's sure to be plenty of chances to see local talent throughout the weekend, including the popular Manitoba artists workshop that has wowed thousands every year.

Tickets go on sale March 6 at 10AM online at winnipegfolkfestival.ca, Winnipeg Folk Festival Music Store or Ticketmaster.